Residents of several streets in Oshodi, Lagos, have raised the alarm over escalating criminal activities and recurring gang clashes in their communities, warning that the area is fast becoming a hotspot for violence.
Gatekeepers News reports that the affected streets include Orile, Mafoluku, Orona, Alimi-Oke, Mosaku, Owoseni and Adekunle.
Tension peaked on Sunday when suspected members of a gang known as “Seven Street” reportedly attacked a rival group in Orile, throwing the neighbourhood into panic. Residents fled their homes as violence spread, leaving properties worth millions of naira damaged.
Eyewitnesses said the attacks occurred despite the presence of nearby police stations, lamenting that law enforcement has failed to curb the activities of the gangs. During the clash, several cars and commercial buses had their windscreens shattered, while a mosque on Mosaku Street was also hit by stones.
A resident, who requested anonymity, said the area had become “a breeding ground for thugs,” blaming poor parental supervision for the growing number of youths involved in the violence.
“Many of those causing trouble are under 18. If urgent steps are not taken now, they will become a serious threat to the community,” she said.
Another resident, a 70-year-old man who also spoke anonymously, said similar incidents had occurred repeatedly over the years with little response from local government authorities.
“We now live in fear, not knowing when the next clash will happen,” he said, adding that he once had to flee during an early morning prayer when violence suddenly erupted in the area.
A third resident, lamenting the extent of destruction from Sunday’s attack, appealed to the police and the local government chairman to intervene immediately, warning that rival groups could still be planning retaliatory attacks.
