Again, Ibeshe community in Ikorodu division is in the news for very bad reasons as an entire family of three was hacked to death on Monday, April 10, 2017, including the mother of the house, who was reportedly raped and later killed in a “Badoo style” by suspected ritualists.
According to head counts, this is about the 10th of such tragic murders in that coastal community located in the Southern axis of Ikorodu town, which has raised residents’ fear that the state security arms, community leaders and other agencies entrusted with security of lives and properties in that part of the state, have surrendered to criminal elements, who rape and kill their victims at will.
“Only God knows whether Ibeshe is cursed,” cried out a resident, who wondered how a community and security agents could fold their arms and allow criminals to reign.
The latest victims, Mr. and Mrs. Ebhodaghe, indigenes of Isoko/Ishan in Delta State, and their son, Master Lucky, all of whom resided at No 18, Ilesanmi Street, Abule Ibeshe-Tuntun, were murdered in their sleep on that Monday night.
Reports indicate that their killers broke into their home through a window after cutting some of the burglary bars and ordinary net before descending on their victims with matchetes. The evil doers were said to have killed the father of the house and his son, and raped the mother before killing her too.
The discovery was made when school mates of Lucky, who was currently writing his WAEC exams, did not show up for his paper on Tuesday; hence, a teacher and some students were instructed to find out the reason for Lucky’s absence.
They were the ones, who met the residence of this unfortunate family locked, and discovered the tragedy when they peeped from the window. They were the ones said to have raised alarm before neighbours knew what happened and the police was informed.
Reports indicate that the corpses of the victims were taken to Ikorodu General Hospital Mortuary for autopsy while preliminary checks on the victims, especially the woman, whose pant was torn and signs of rape found, confirmed the signature of the dreaded “Badoo”.
Bewildered residents of Ibeshe, who spoke with our reporters, blamed all who allowed Badoo, who committed the earlier sacrileges in the community, to escape justice by arraigning him for trial in Lagos instead of Ikorodu; hence, the criminal, who seems to be well connected, was left off the hook (having been granted bail), which enabled him to return to the community to continue his wicked acts.
Some residents blamed the Kabiyesi, Baales, vigilante group, community development associations and the Police for not doing much to protect the residents.
They recounted the past incidents, starting from June, 2016, when the dreaded gang allegedly killed a Ghanaian after raping her and inflicting injuries on her eight-month old baby.
In July 2016, the assailants went back to the community, raped and blinded a 60-year- old woman, Francisca. They allegedly brutalised her 10-year-old daughter for raising alarm.
On October 21, 2016, the gang reportedly attacked a family in Oluwoye community, Ibeshe, killing a 30-year-old pregnant woman, Afusat Yusuf. Her husband, Kazeem, and the couple’s two kids, Rodiat, six, and five-year- old Opeyemi were also stabbed to death.
On December 26, 2016, the attackers allegedly attack Saka Adegbose Street, off Olu Odo Road,
Ikorodu, killing two siblings, Azeezat Oriade and Abeeb Oriade.
On March 1, 2017, they allegedly attacked a family on Masafejo Street, Agbowa, Ikorodu, killing three siblings between the ages of four and nine while their mother also died. The residents wondered how all those in authority in-charge of the safety of the people would feel so nonchalant and allow residents to be butchered like goats and chickens.
They appealed to Governor Ambode to declare a state of emergency in Ibeshe to protect the lives and properties of the people.
Meanwhile, the Deeper Life Bible Church authorities’ worked round the clock to organize the burial of the victims, who were said to be members of the church.
An official of the church lamented the consequences of allowing criminals to reign in a community, saying that when people live in fear and are not sure of their existence safety and development, progress will be hindered. He called on the traditional leaders, community and security officials in the state and division to unravel these mysterious killings in Ibeshe.
An unprecedented crowd yelled, wept and wailed on Wednesday April 19, 2017, as a nuclear family of three gruesomely murdered by unknown persons suspected to be ritualists were buried with their properties on the land they owned and lived at No. 20, Oyekanmi street, Ibeshe Titun, in Ibeshe, Ikorodu.
As priests and a large congregation administered burial/funeral service for Brother Lucky Ebhodaghe, his wife Margaret and their only child/son Jonathan all of who were murdered on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, around 11:37am on that fateful day, the whole Ibeshe community and sympathizers, from all over Ikorodu wept sorely before the three caskets and three graves dug side by side in front of the house owned by this unfortunate family.
The child was buried in the midst of his parents.
Priests, community leaders, religious leaders, youths, and the huge crowd wept uncontrollably as the three family members were lowered into the graves with their belongings which no one liked to inherit.
As many wept over the tragedy, some pointed to the fact that all the people killed in that community, by unknown wicked persons, are non-indigenes, hence they accused the Baale of that community and the Oba of Ibeshe of not doing anything to protect the lives of strangers in their domain.
Brother Lucky and his wife who hailed from Edo and Akwa-Ibom respectively, were said to be humble and gentle church workers in the Deeper Life Bible Ministry. While the man was formerly with Conoil, the wife was said to be a former health worker.
Their 16 year old son, Jonathan was said to be reading for his WAEC exam on that Monday night/Tuesday when the attackers entered their building through the window after cutting a bar from the burglary iron. The boy was killed and his frontal teeth were found removed as he laid in his casket.
Mrs. Margaret, the mother of the boy, was reportedly raped and her private part was allegedly tampered with. The three nuclear family members received matchet cuts and bled to death.
Oriwu Sun also learnt that late Lucky has an aged mother of ninety seven (97) years old, whom he had been taking care of. The old woman, according to report, is at the Mowe area of Ogun State, where she is being taken care of.
Although, she was not yet aware of what happened as at the time the burial was held, plans were being made to break the sad news to her in a way that would not lead to her death.
Angry youths in the area told Oriwu Sun that they were writing a petition to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the Lagos State House of Assembly for urgent government intervention including a state of emergency if necessary to forestall the kind of incident in Osun State where indigenes and non-indigenes engaged in violent clashes.
According to the youths, residents of the area are now living in fear and everyone is now afraid that non indigenes who have been the targets of these killings may soon engage the indigenes in reprisal attacks.
The youths affirmed that this is not the first or second or the third time such wiping out of an entire family would happen in Ibeshe Tuntun. They cited the case of a Ghanaian family in that area who were also victims and wondered what the Oba, the Baale and Chiefs, the CDA’s and other community leaders and security men have been doing to curb these Badoo style killings, rape and ritual signposts.
Some family members of the victims and others who were willing to speak to Oriwu Sun on camera bared their minds below:
Elder Brother to late Lucky Ebhodaghe:
On reaching my late brother’s house after they were attacked and hacked to death, I discovered that some people were behind it and they don’t want the public to hear about it.
We don’t know who is next on the list of the attackers. This incident happened on Monday. My brother and his family were strong believers in Christ during their life time. The son was writing his SSCE before this incident happened. The attackers came into the house through the window and the son was the first to be killed.
The text book, he was reading that night before he slept off were still on the table. It was the son’s school mate who made the neighbour aware of the incident. It was when they came looking for the boy at home that they discovered that the family have been murdered. We want the media and the government to come to our rescue and ensure that the matter is not swept under the carpet. He was formerly working in Conoil Company.
The wife was a mid-wife before she stopped working because after delivering their only child, there were complications. Since she stopped working, she has been selling recharge cards and other things. The husband was fifty four (54) years old and the son was 16 years. My advice to the government is that they should beef up security in the area.
ELEMI MICHAEL, (Elder brother to late Mrs. Margaret Ebhodaghe ):
The family is gone now but the people living in this community must be considered. The horrible thing is that no arrest has been made. It is painful that we have to lose our relatives in this manner. What we want is that this issue must not be swept under the carpet. All the security arms in this area should rise up to their duty. Life is sacred and must be preserved. I am of the opinion that the atrocities going on in this community should be investigated. We want justice. The husband is from Edo State, an Ishan extraction while the wife is from Akwa-Ibom.
- FUNSHO AKITIMEYIN, Ibeshe-Titun CDA Chairman:
It is a sad event and there is nothing we can do for now. The police have tried their best and we now put our trust in God to help us apprehend the perpetrators, who are committing these crimes. We have engaged the services of vigilante and I don’t know if it is because we have relaxed and that is why they have come back.
The security of this area is intact and our security personnel are on ground. We have ten zones in this area and we have two to three security personnel in each zone. The building is fenced and that was why it was a bit difficult for the neighbours to know. Everyone of us in the community now live in fear of the unknown.
- LAWRENCE AYODE, Pastor:
The only way we can immortalize the family is to decorate their graves and the church should take over the building in order for them to be remembered. My advice to the community is to strengthen the security. I will also implore them to be vigilant. Lucky and his wife were strong believers and workers in the church during their life time. My advise to everyone who has not accepted Jesus as his lord and savior is to do so before it is too late.
PASTOR ISRAEL BAYIOKU:
We have resolved to pray and commit everything into God’s hands. The church is doing the burial in partnership with the deceased’s family. The late husband and wife were workers in the church and that is why the church is deeply involved in it. No matter the kind of death that kills a man, what matters most is where you are going to spend eternity. My advice to the perpetrators of this evil is to repent.
MRS. MARGARET:
We want the whole Nigeria to help us. We are believing God to avenge us of the attackers. The pain is much, and the loss is a great one to the family. The deceased husband has an aged mother, who is ninety seven (97) years old.