ONE person has reportedly been killed in the Ita Faji area, Lagos State, after some hoodlums stormed a naming ceremony and unleashed mayhem.

It was learnt that the thugs were armed with cutlasses and had come on a reprisal from Idumota, a neighbouring community, for their rival group members who were present at the ceremony on Monday.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the rival group, said to be from John Street in the neighbourhood, had reportedly attacked Idumota boys last Saturday, inflicting injuries on their leader, identified only as Shamee.

Our correspondent learnt that one of the two victims in the Monday incident was attacked on Onikepo Street, where the event was held, while the other was attacked with cutlass on Elias Street, a few distance from the venue.

PUNCH Metro was told that the injured persons were rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital, where one of them later died.

The identities of the duo had yet to be ascertained as workers of the hospital that our correspondent approached on Thursday declined comments on the incident.

However, a nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the casualties.

“Two youths were rushed here around 8.30pm on Monday from Ita Faji. I learnt that one of them has died. The other is in a critical condition but he has been responding to treatment. I don’t know their names,” she said.

The father of the baby, who was identified only as Taiye, was not around when PUNCH Metro visited the community.

A resident, Sulyman Tijani, said the chaos forced traders to shut their shops as people fled to safety.

He said, “The victims are John Street boys. They were seriously injured and I learnt one of them is dead. They had come to visit a friend at the naming ceremony when they were attacked.

“Last Saturday, there was a clash between the youths from John Street and Idumota. One Shamee, who led Idumota boys, was attacked with cutlasses and charm.

“Around 7.30pm on Monday, Idumota boys trailed their rival group members to the naming ceremony. The victims actually came to see a friend called Billy. Somebody alerted the Idumota youths and they came to disrupt the ceremony that they were not invited to.”

A trader, who identified herself only as Iya Ahmed, said the chaos forced her and others to close their shops. She said the community had been turned into a smoking arena, adding that the incident was reported at the Adeniji Adele Police Station.

She said, “Before the attack, I saw some boys smoking. They are not residents here. I called a youth who normally hosts them to caution his friends. About an hour later, they chased a boy into my shop and beat him up. They destroyed my drinks worth about N7,000 in the process. Some policemen from Adeniji division later came to restore peace.”

The Chairman of the community development association, Mr. Adamson Idowu, said letters had been sent to police authorities to assist in ridding the community of miscreants.

He said, “The rate at which hoodlums cause trouble in our community is disturbing. We have written a letter to the Area ‘A’ Police Command and another one to the Adeniji Adele Police Division and they have promised to come to our aid.”

The Lagos State Police spokesperson, DSP Patricia Amadin, had yet to reply to a message sent to her line on the incident as of press time.

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