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"Police" Hoodlums Attack Local Government Secretariat In Lagos, Injure Officials

July 17, 2014

A gang called "Community Policing Youth Vanguard," in the Festac area of Lagos State, on Monday, had allegedly invaded the Amuwo Odofin Local Council Secretariat, attacking and injuring officials of the Local Council. 

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The group, which is allegedly owned and used by the Area Commander in the Festac area, ACP Dan Okoro, is said to be unleashing ‘haphazard mayhem’ in the area, with heavy reliance on the arbitrary backing of the Area Commander, Mr. Dan Okoro.

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According to officials of the council, activities reported of the gang in the past had included rape, robbery, and unwarranted physical molestation of residents. 

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The council Chairman, Mr. Ayo Adewale, said he had several times reported activities of the group to police authority, but that nothing had been done to curb them or their police clout, Mr. Dan Okoro, the Area Commander, who invented the group.

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He also said Mr. Dan Okoro, in a blatant display, had threatened to continue using the group against the Local Council.

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In a recent scuffle between the gang and security details of the Local Council, for instance, ACP Dan Okoro was said to have brazenly opened restricted roads for trucks, and personally driven with truck owners to use the routes against orders protecting the roads for maintenance. 

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With the attack on the council secretariat on Monday, the group's alleged nefarious activities added another shocking event to their list. They had reportedly invaded the Local Council office, wielding bottles, machetes, and other dangerous weapons, and began attacking employees of the Council Secretariat.

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The Local Council Chairman, Mr. Ayo Adewale said he was their target, but had been rescued by men of the NSCDC and the Rapid Response Squad. This came about after police details attached to his office had watched the hoodlums without stopping them. 

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For Adewale it was a shocking and terrifying scene. He said the hoodlums numbered about a hundred when they swooped on the secretariat and overpowered the security around the council office. He said that the group had unleashed a ‘major mayhem’ earlier in the day, and one of their leaders had been arrested and handed over to the police. The arrested gang member, however, was released upon intervention by ACP Dan Okoro, following which they struck at the Council Secretariat later, at around 5.30pm on that day.

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Aside from ACP Dan Okoro's "police" hoodlums, another individual identified as Fatai Onifade is said to have also been inspired by the impunity of the group, and had created his own gang. Fatai was quoted as claiming to belong to Dr. Fredrick Fasheun's faction of the OPC. Fasheun had, however, denied him, but both hoodlum gangs still walk free and continue with their activities unabatted.

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Previously, the Local Chairman said he had led a protest against activities of the gang, after the Area Commander, ACP Dan Okoro allegedly spearheaded a brazen violation of Government orders, obtaining illegal money from trucks drivers, and leading them through areas of their restriction. 

Adewale suggested that their attacks continued, as he had refused to recognize what he called the "unlawful" group. 

"The group is not recognized by law," he said, adding that he would not recognize any gang of hoodlums. 

He also warned that his life is under serious threats by the hoodlums.

"May I use this medium to inform the general public that if anything should happen to me or members of my family, Emmanuel Onwa, Fatai Onifade a.k.a Apashe, Niyi and The Area E Commander, ACP Dan Okoro who formed that group should be the first set of people to be investigated and held responsible", he said.

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CRIME Politics