Sad: Hoodlums Set Teenager On Fire, Prints His Obituary

Some hoodlums on Amodu Street, in the Idi Oro, Mushin area of Lagos, have set a 17-year-old boy, Lekan Agbaje, on fire.

The victim. Photo: The Punch

A correspondent of The Punch gathered that the assailants, who were confident that the teenager was dead, pasted his obituary posters in the community.

It was learnt that on Saturday, August 8, at about 6pm, the teenager and a friend had strolled out, but were ambushed by the hoodlums.

Lekan, who, the assailants reportedly claimed, was a member of a rival faction, was dragged to a corner and stabbed several times.

Not satisfied with stabbing Lekan, the hoodlums doused him with kerosene before setting him on fire.

They reportedly fled the scene when they sighted a police patrol vehicle approaching the area.

A resident, who identified himself simply as Kehinde, said the hoodlums were holding an event in the area on Friday, August 7, which must be marked with killing.

He said: “The boys were about 100. They held a party in a house on the street. They wore blue shirts and caps. At about the evening time, the police patrol vans came into the area and arrested a good number of them.

“The boy was attacked at about evening time. We learnt that the hoodlums had to kill someone to mark their celebration. So, they attacked Lekan. They also pasted his obituary,” Kehinde stressed.

The reporter visited the hospital where Lekan was being treated, met his mother. She pleaded not to be named, but said that the family had spent N130,000 on him, adding that they had run out of money.

She stated that Lekan did not belong to any cult group, but was a victim of hoodlums’ indiscriminate attacks in the area.

“They stabbed him with bottles in the face and stomach. His burnt body has yet to heal. We have spent about N130,000. The doctors said we should get another N250,000. I am tired. I am a hair dresser.

“He is not a cult member. He just finished secondary school. I want Nigerians and the government to help me. He is my first son. The hoodlums removed almost all his teeth. He cannot talk or eat,” the mother of the victim said.

At the hospital, the teenager was seen on the sick bed, with bandage on his head, waist and hands.

Patricia Amadin, a Lagos state police spokesperson, had yet to respond to a text message sent to her phone on the incident as of press time.

Meanwhile, there was confusion on Freeman and Borno streets in Oyingbo area of Lagos state when teenagers, armed with cutlasses and knives, attacked and robbed shops.

It was gathered that during the 30 minutes attack on the two streets, the teenagers, numbering about 30, invaded the area at about 3pm and ordered the traders to leave their shops.

The hoodlums injured traders who did not obey them quickly, forcing others to abandon their wares and scamper to safety. They were reportedly led by Idris Aloma, who was said to be based in the Sawmill, Okobaba area.