Residents of Fadeyi in the Somolu area of Lagos State have raised the alarm over the increasing activities of hoodlums in the community.

The residents who spoke at the weekend lamented that the boys between the ages of 16 and 20 years were fond of terrorising them as well as some business owners in the area.

The gang was also said to have repeatedly threatened the police by preventing them from taking action.

The latest of their escapades was an attack on a staff member of a water company, Segun Ojeleye, in the Alhaji Calfo area of the community.

Ojeleye was said to have been attending to one of his customers when the boys alleged that the company’s truck hit a bypassed electric pole.

A resident who gave his name only as Kenneth for security reasons told our correspondent on Saturday that this degenerated into an argument as one of the boys reached for a bottle and stabbed Ojeleye.

He said, “The fracas started when the boys said the delivery truck carrying water hit the bypassed and illegal PHCN pole on the street. After an argument ensued, Sadiq went to pick up a bottle from a barber’s shop where they were earlier seated and hit the driver of the truck, Abbey, causing him injury.

“Although the bottle did not break, Sadiq then proceeded to hit it against the wall and again went after the driver who had turned his back but because people had blocked them, he then decided to stab the manager, Mr Segun Ojeleye, viciously in his arm.”

Kenneth said Ojeleye was badly injured as a result of the attack and immediately rushed to the hospital.

“He is presently in a serious situation. He was taken to the General Hospital in Somolu and later transferred to Igbobi Hospital. As we speak, he has undergone a major surgery because his veins and vascular muscles had been grievously affected. He is to buy eight pints of blood,” he told the newsmen.

Another resident who did not want his name in print for security reasons told our correspondent that the gang also extorted business owners who just purchased a new item for their businesses.

“This gang unleashed terror on business owners who purchase new items to run their businesses. They did the same when the owner of a company bought a generator. They were asking for a ridiculous amount running into hundreds of thousands before the generator could be offloaded and another ridiculous amount to start the generator.”

A trader in the resident who preferred to be identified as Iya Funbi said the gang members were known for harassing and molesting young girls while appealing for the intervention of police authorities.

“These boys terrorise the elderly, young adults and traders. They also molest and harass girls in the area and threaten to rape them. They have taken over from the elders who seem to be on the run or are hiding from the police under various guises. The police authorities have to intervene and deal with them decisively. The police division in this area seems helpless and tired as the officers refrain from interfering because of the threats.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached to confirm the complaint as calls made to his phone were not responded to. A text message sent to him had yet to be responded to as of the time this report was filed.

END.