The continued rise in thuggery activities in Lagos state have been a major concern for residents across the state.

This development has forced many concerned people to call on the state government, led by Governor Babatunde Fashola, to fashion out modalities on how to secure all Lagosians.

In a press release published by the Action Forum Organisation, AFO, during their third ideological congress held in Alimosho area of Lagos on the 28July, 2014, the convener of the group, Comrade Seyi Odumosu informed that residents in Lagos no longer sleep with both eyes closed for the fear of either armed robbery or clash among cult groups.

“The increase in criminal activities along with acts of thuggery in Lagos state has become a major concern for both residents and government likewise.

“In the past five months alone, our forum has recorded at least 24 clashes among cult groups. No fewer than 17 lives were lost from these clashes, five of these causalities happened to be people who were going by their normal businesses and became victims of circumstance.

“After consultation with the Nigeria Police and the Lagos State government, we have submitted a 66-page recommendations and position of our forum for the government and concerned stakeholders to help stem the tide of insecurity that these miscreants consistently caused in Lagos,” Odumosu stated.

An eyewitness of a recent rivalry cult groups clash in Bariga, Taiwo Abdulazeez, narrated how the community was invaded by armed thugs that led to the death of 5 cult members and an innocent resident in the area coming from a night vigil.

He said: “On that fateful, we were noticing strange faces in the neighbourhood and we called the Police and informed them of the development.

“I believe that was why these thugs did not strike during the day because some policemen came and raided some guys that we were told were cult members.

“I cannot say whether these thugs were released that same day, but we started hearing gunshots and noises in the early hours of the following day.

“The gunshot lasted for about 2 hours and it was when the day broke that we saw dead bodies at different locations in the street and some people who sustained bullet wounds.

“A man, who was coming from church night vigil was also injured by stray bullet.”

Another concerned Lagosians, Joseph Oludare, 38, who lives in Agege area of Lagos, attributed the rise in the number of thugs in Lagos to the present political permutations ongoing in the country.

“Because most of these thugs don’t have a stable source of income, politicians recruit them during elections to victimize their opponents.

“It is only unfortunate that it is innocent, law abiding and taxpaying citizens that suffer from the situation,” Oludare opined.

Also speaking on the rise in thuggery activities in Lagos state, Mrs Ashimi Olabisi, who claimed that her community also suffered the societal menace recently, stated: “These young men would congregate in a bar in my area where they usually converge to smoke prohibited substances. And before you realise, one of them, without provocation, would assault a stranger.”

Commenting on what could have been responsible for this unsavoury act from Nigerian youths, Mrs Olabisi stated: “If a man has a decent job that fetches him enough money to feed his family and extra to save for the future, he would not dare risk his life for political frivolities or surrender himself to serve as a tool for societal terror.”

Professor Njoku of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State , while adding his voice to the state of insecurity in Lagos, explained the implications of using thugs to realise political goals.

He believes,“politicians use thugs to compel obedience and instil fear in the majority of party members.”

Njoku added that: “Political thuggery is a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic because it scares the citizens, including women, from active participation in democratic process.”

Lagos state Police Commissioner, Umaru Abubakar Manko recently warned that anyone who is caught making trouble in any part of Lagos state shall be dealt with according to the law.

He also advised that Lagos residents should not hesitate to inform the nearest Police command or dial Police distress number whenever they suspect strange gathering in their areas.