Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The residents of Ikola in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area of Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos State, have issued a desperate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and security agencies, urging them to urgently strengthen security in their community following a wave of violence and alleged cult-related activities that have left them living in constant fear. The residents say they are “tired and afraid,” and that people can no longer live normally in the community.
Some residents who spoke to journalists said they were worried about alleged harassment, extortion and violent incidents in parts of the community. A security personnel familiar with developments in the area alleged that a welding workshop located near Wazobia Market was sometimes used as a meeting point by individuals suspected by residents to be involved in cult-related activities. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also alleged that tensions involving suspected rival groups had contributed to insecurity in the area. However, the allegations could not be independently verified.
A landlady, who requested anonymity, said residents had previously raised concerns with security authorities over alleged criminal activities in the community. She claimed that some residents were reluctant to speak publicly about the situation because of concerns about possible reprisals. The woman also expressed concern over what she described as occasional sounds resembling gunshots in the area, saying such incidents often created panic among residents. “People are afraid even during the day. You hear sounds and everybody becomes worried about what is happening and who may be the next victim,” she said.
Another resident, who identified himself as Chris, said the recent violence in Ikola should be thoroughly investigated to determine the various factors that may have contributed to the crisis. He alleged that some residents had previously complained about individuals who reportedly stopped motorists, tricycle operators and commercial motorcyclists and demanded money from them. Another resident, Idowu, appealed to the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to deploy additional security personnel to the community. He said residents had been deeply affected by the recent violence and urged the authorities to take preventive measures to avert further loss of lives. “We are tired and afraid. People cannot live normally anymore. Something needs to be done before more people are killed,” he said.
The residents’ appeal follows a violent clash on August 27, 2026, at Power Line Bus Stop in Ikola, which left at least four people dead and several others injured, with makeshift structures set ablaze during the unrest. According to a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, the trouble began following an altercation involving a Northerner and a man alleged to be a former cult leader. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency confirmed that four adult males lost their lives and several others sustained various degrees of injuries, while several makeshift structures were destroyed in the violence. The Lagos State Police Command gave a slightly different account, saying preliminary information indicated that trouble started when some suspected area boys allegedly stopped a tricycle rider and demanded N200 from him. The rider reportedly refused to pay, following which the group allegedly seized his tricycle. The rider later returned with some persons, leading to a violent confrontation between the two groups.
The violence has prompted the Lagos State Government to intensify safety operations in the community, including the controlled demolition of structures built beneath high-tension electricity lines. The government said the recent clash between Hausa and Yoruba residents in Ikola had highlighted the urgent need to address the wider public safety risks in the community. A resident, Mr Adewale Omoboriola, said, “We want peace in this community. The government may have reasons for the demolition, but people are worried about what could happen next. We need security agencies to remain here and prevent anybody from coming back to attack innocent residents”.
Other residents alleged that some individuals sometimes enter shops and demand goods or money from traders and commercial transport operators. According to one resident, motorists whose vehicles break down in some parts of the area are sometimes approached by individuals demanding money before offering assistance. The residents stressed that their concerns went beyond isolated incidents, saying they wanted the authorities to investigate reports of criminal activity and provide adequate security for residents and businesses. They appealed to the Federal Government, Lagos State Government and security agencies to urgently investigate the allegations, identify those responsible for any criminal activities and take appropriate action in accordance with the law.
The community’s plight is part of a broader pattern of cult-related violence in Alimosho, one of Lagos State’s most populous local government areas. In June 2026, the Lagos State Police Command arrested four suspected notorious cultists linked to cult-related violence and other criminal activities within Alimosho and its environs. In the same month, police foiled an alleged cult initiation ceremony in the Egbeda area of Lagos, arresting four suspected cultists during a covert midnight operation that also led to the recovery of firearms. The Lagos State Government has previously offered amnesty to cultists, asking them to surrender illegal firearms and renounce their membership of criminal groups, but the violence has persisted.
The residents of Ikola are not asking for much. They want to be able to walk the streets without fear. They want to send their children to school without worrying about gunfire. They want to run their businesses without being extorted. They want the government to do what it was elected to do: protect them. As one resident put it, “We are tired.” The question now is whether President Tinubu and Governor Sanwo-Olu are listening, and whether the security agencies will act before more lives are lost in a community that has already suffered too much.
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