Residents turn vigilantes as robbers attack Lagos, Ogun communities amid lockdown

Lagos and Ogun state residents have been forced to set up vigilante groups to protect themselves as the spate of robbery incidents in their areas increase amid lockdown.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, March 29, 2020, announced a lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and Abuja for 14 days to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The President said the restriction of movement applied to Ogun State because of its closeness to Lagos.

However, since the lockdown entered its second week, armed robbers have been having a field day in some Lagos and Ogun communities.

On Saturday, April 11, 2020, Nigerians living in Sango-Ota and Ijoko area of Ogun state took to social media to report cases of robbery in their neighbourhoods.

Residents of Abule-Egba, Iyana-Ipaja, Alagbado, and Agege area of Lagos state have also suffered robbery attacks as robbers and cultists invade their houses.

While Nigerians have taken to social media to cry out to the Nigerian Police to come to their rescue, residents of some affected areas have decided to set up local vigilante groups to repel robbery attacks.

Videos of Nigerians keeping watch over their communities at night have also surfaced on social media.

According to one of the reports on Twitter, a group of cultists known as One Million Boys in Ogun state are said to be responsible for robbery attacks in Sango-Ota, Agbado Ijaiye, Adura, Meiran and Abule-Egba areas of Ogun and Lagos states.

However, following the outcry over the spate of robbery attacks in Lagos and Ogun, the Nigeria Police Force has said its men have been patrolling the areas where hoodlums have been harassing citizens.

On Saturday, April 11, 2020, the police said five suspects were arrested, adding that police officers will be on standby to forestall any further disturbances.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, Ogun State government said some suspects have been arrested in respect to robbery incidents at Sango, Ijoko and Ifo areas of the state.

“The attention of the Ogun State Government has been drawn to incidences of violence, alleged robberies and related crimes resurfacing in the State, especially in the Sango-Ifo axis.

“The Government has not only moved swiftly into action, the affected towns including but not limited to Sango, Ijoko, Ifo, among others are currently under substantial security surveillance,” the state government said.

Nigerians' reactions...

Since Saturday, "Lagos and Ogun unrests" have become trending topics on Twitter. Below are some of the reactions from Nigerians on the robbery attacks in Lagos and Ogun communities, and residents' effort to repel the robbers.