Soldiers and Police Battle Hoodlums Trying to Loot Computer Village

Hoodlums that hijacked the #EndSARS protest and turned it into a broad day robbery have continued to attack business districts, offices and properties of known establishments to loot and destroy years of labour despite the negative impacts of COVID-19 on these businesses.

Soldiers that were later joined by the Nigerian Police Force have been trying to repel hoodlums looking to break into computer village in Ikeja, Lagos State since the #EndSARS protest was hijacked.

According to residents and business owners contacted, the armed looters are still making an attempt to overpower security agents knowing there are valuables in the shops.

“Right now they are still making an attempt (to overpower security agents) and considering the sensitivity of the business that we do, we sell very valuable commodities and they understand the liquidity of these products,” said Adeniyi Ojikutu, president, Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN) said on the phone.

Ojikutu said the hoodlums, who were more than 500 in number, had shot in the air when they were discovered and remained close by for an opportunity to eventually break into the largest computer, mobile devices and ICT accessory market in Africa.

Also, because computer village is within close proximity to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), a new BRT station, Jara Mall, the Lagos State Police Command, Lagos State High Court and both the local and international Airports, it becomes imperative to protect it as a break-in by looters may spell disaster for other top establishments in the vicinity.

A resident said ‘Benin Boys’, a group of hoodlums, had earlier tried to invade computer village around 1 am but were prevented by security operatives. However, those that have been making attempts between the morning and afternoon of Friday were the Agege boys.

“The security were using megaphones to shout and warn all of us to stay inside,” said this resident.