Metro

Traditional Stool: Gunmen Invade Lagos Community, Kill One-yr-old Baby, 10 Others, Burn Houses [PHOTOS]

Published

2 years ago

April 13, 2024

Gunmen numbering over 100, invaded a riverine community in Egan Oriomi Otto Awori Local Council Development Area of Ojo, at the early hours of today, setting several houses on fire.

A 15-month-old baby, who was sleeping, was burnt beyond recognition.

Also, no fewer than 15 houses were burnt, with property worth millions destroyed.

Ten persons were shot by the gunmen, while others, among whom is a 90-year-old man sustained deep matchet cuts in parts of their bodies.

According to Vanguard, when its correspondent visited the riverine community today, Saturday, the burnt baby’s father, Taiwo Israel, was seen carrying the charred remains.

Explaining in tears, he said: “My baby’s name is Emmanuel. I went out yesterday (Friday) for our daily bread, leaving my wife with my two children.

“By 9.30 p.m., she called me on the phone to inform me that some cultists were shooting. I told her to go inside with the children.

“At about 1 a.m., she called again to inform me that the cultists had set our building on fire. She added that she ran out without carrying our baby who was sleeping.

“My father-in-law, who went inside to rescue the baby, was attacked with a cutlass. He is still in the hospital.

“When I came back this morning (Saturday), I met my baby burnt to death. He was our second child. The first one managed to escape.”

It was gathered that the affected community would stage a protest with the burnt baby tomorrow (Sunday), at the governor’s office, in Alausa, Ikeja.

Meanwhile, the affected residents blamed the gunmen attack on the position taken by the local government and some politicians in the area over the installation of a traditional ruler.

They alleged that a stranger was wrongfully installed as the traditional ruler. They said he should be from a family they described as “indigene of the community”.

Besides, Vanguard gathered that there had been a lingering tussle between two families in the community over who rules.

Explaining, one of the indigenes, Lawal Adesegun, who claimed to be a crown prince of the community, said: “The cause of this fight is ownership dispute.

“These people (invaders) are not indigenes of this community. We went to the tribunal set up by the Lagos State Government to fight for who would be the oba of this community and we won.

“There are documents from the tribunal, including judgments and clearance from the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Attorney General of the State. These confirm us as the Oba of Egan, Ori Omi Atto Awori of Ojo Local Government.

“However, some politicians of the leading political party, the Otto Awori Local Government wrongfully installed our opponent as our king. They did it in a hotel, not in the community.

“The politicians brought the man that was wrongfully installed to the community on Thursday, to force him on us. But the police restrained them because they knew a fight would break out.

“This isn’t the first time they would be attacking us. A similar incident occurred on June 15, 2018. Some of our people were also killed.

“The local government intervened then and the case was dropped in court, frustrating our efforts to seek justice.

‘How politicians frustrate us’

“The House of Assembly deliberated on the matter for two years. It set up a committee that recommended justice. They also emphasised the need to install the right person in the chieftaincy position.

“But the recommendation was not implemented because these same politicians scuttled the process.

“Our king is Olarewaju Moshood Lawal. Yet they replaced him with a non-indigene. He left the community in 2018 due to insecurity.

“We are, therefore, calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene before they wipe everyone out of this community.

“We have all our documents from the government. Yet, these politicians are blocking all our efforts to meet the governor, to hear us out.”

One of those shot in the neck was a 22-year-old farmer, Joel Babatunde.
He said: “I was sleeping in my house when I heard gunshots. I ran out in confusion, unaware of where the gunshots were coming from. Immediately I stepped outside, the gunmen shot me.”

Also, another resident, who gave his name simply as Moheed, said over 20 houses were burnt.

He stated that most of the affected houses belong to members of the Oba Moshood Olarewaju’s family.

According to Moheed, “One of the houses burnt belongs to the oldest woman in our community.

“She was lucky to have been taken out immediately the house was set on fire. She too could have died inside.

“Oba Moshood Olarewaju ought to be the rightful Oba of this community and we still regard him as our leader.”

Residents flee community

Many residents whose houses were spared were seen carrying their belongings, preparing to leave the riverine community.

Also, others who had become homeless were preparing to leave the community for fear of another attack.

However, armed policemen were sighted in the community to forestall further invasion by the gunmen.

Below are more photos from the scene courtesy Vanguard:

Metro

The Woman I Married After 8yrs As widower Fights Me With Harmful Objects, Threatens To Kill Me

Published

13 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Editor

Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has adjourned until February 2, a divorce suit brought before it by a man, Oladayo, against his wife, Leah, whom he married eight years after the death of his first wife.

Oladayo alleged that Leah did not love or care for him.

He added that she was stubborn and always loved to have her way. The plaintiff further said that the defendant was troublesome and in the habit of fighting him with harmful and dangerous objects, and added that she later took to threatening to kill him.

Oladayo explained that he came to court because he did not want the blood in his hands.

Leah was absent in court even though she was served court summonses.

Oladayo, during his testimony in court, said that he met his wife in 2017 through his church leaders.

He said: “I lost my first wife eight years before I met and got married to Leah.

“I waited that long to contract another marriage because my children from my first marriage were still in their tender ages when their mother died.

“The eldest of the three children then was just eight years old.

“I also did not want them to be emotionally and psychologically disturbed.

“I met Leah through my pastors in church.

“They introduced her to me and encouraged me to go into a relationship with her, which I did.

“Leah was well-behaved throughout the period we courted. This gave me the courage to go on with the relationship and I felt it was worth it.

“I was happy to put behind me the grief and sorrow I experienced when I lost my first wife and moved on with my life, but I never knew that the worst awaited me.

“I proposed to Leah, and she accepted to go into marriage with me.

“We held a church wedding and also carried out other relevant marital rites.

“I paid her bride price, but this was returned to me by her parents.

“Leah moved in with me, and then my life was turned upside down.

“The once gentle and easy-going lady suddenly went wild.

“She started to reveal a side of herself I had not known.

“Leah became unfriendly and hostile. She showed me no love and care. She was also in the habit of complaining and nagging. We hardly enjoyed each other’s company.

“Leah is stubborn and never took to correction because she believed she was always right.

“I lost my peace and derived no joy in our union.

“Leah always went irate any time we had a misunderstanding and would fight me with any dangerous object within her reach.

“I always left home any time she was in a rage because I did not want the blood of another person in my hands.

“I decided to return home no more after the last time we fought.

“She resorted to threatening to kill me after I left home.

“My lord, I pray this honourable court to end our marriage.

“I also request an order restricting her from threatening me and interfering with my private life.”

The court president, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, after she had heard the plaintiff, ordered that a fresh hearing notice be issued and served on the defendant.

She then adjourned the case until February 2.
(TRIBUNE)

Metro

My Husband Lives A Wretched Life, Drinks, Gambles, Woman Tells Court

Published

13 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Editor

…She’s is free to go —Husband

A woman, Rukaiat, has prayed for the dissolution of her marriage to her husband, Gafar, in a suit she filed at Grade A Customary Court, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, on the grounds of irresponsibility, gambling, drunkenness and threat to her life by the latter.

Rukaiat pleaded for the custody of their child, whom, according to her, he had constantly neglected and starved.

She prayed the court to mandate her husband to be responsible for their child’s upkeep.

The plaintiff also sought an order restraining the defendant from threatening her and from interfering with her private life.

Gafar, who was in court the first day the case was mentioned, acceded to divorce.

He also agreed that Rukaiat had custody of their child.

The defendant, however, denied the allegations of irresponsibility, gambling, and drunkenness brought against him.

He, however, failed to show up in court in the subsequent adjourned dates.

Rukaiat in her testimony told the court: “My husband is a drunk and gambler.

“I have had no rest of mind since I moved in with him after he paid my bride price.

“Our marriage is blessed with only a child who my husband found a herculean task taking care of.

“He constantly neglected me and our child and did starve us.

“My husband spent his income mainly on liquor.

“He would drink himself to stupor and stagger home, singing on top of his voice and disturbing our neighbours.

“He also gambles, which is another reason for his wretchedness.

“We fight almost every day because of his inadequacies.

“I moved out of his house after he turned me into a source of ridicule in our compound and neighbourhood.

“He took to threatening me after I left him.

“My husband went as far as hiring thugs who came to my shop to beat me up and destroy my goods.

“My lord, I pray that the court rule that we are no longer husband and wife.

“I also plead for the custody of our only child since my husband has failed in his responsibility towards her.

“I further request an order restricting my husband from threatening me and interfering with my private life.”

The court president, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, gave her judgement on the matter, stating that the couple obviously had a valid customary marriage and that the bride price was paid.

According to her, the plaintiff had declared that she was no longer interested in their marriage, while the defendant also admitted to divorce.

Akintayo therefore ruled that the plaintiff and defendant ceased to be husband and wife.

She granted the plaintiff custody of their only child and ordered the defendant to be responsible for her upkeep, including feeding, education, and health care.

(TRIBUNE)

Metro

Our Marriage Lacks Love, Please End It, Woman Prays Court

Published

13 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Editor

Area Court sitting at Centre-Igboro, Ilorin, Kwara State, has dissolved the marriage between a couple, Hajara Busari and Mumini Anafi, on the petitioner’s request, following claims of lack of care and love.

While delivering ruling on suit, the presiding judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, held that the respondent had written a letter to the court, agreeing to divorce.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the court, consequently, dissolved the marriage between the parties and ordered the woman to observe one-month Iddah (waiting period) before contracting another marriage.

Meanwhile, the court granted custody of the four-year-old child produced by their marriage to the petitioner, being still in her tender age.

The court ordered that the respondent should pay the sum of N20,000 as monthly allowance for the feeding and maintenance of their child.

He added that he should be responsible for her education and health care. Aluko also held that the father be allowed unrestricted access to the child at reasonable time and should be notified before taking any decision on his child.

The judge ordered the petitioner to get a copy of the judgment and make same available to the respondent.

Earlier, the petitioner told the court that she was no longer interested in her marriage to the respondent, following lack of love and care.