An Ikorodu-based businessman, Mr. Anamele Godspower Nelson, narrowly escaped death by the whiskers for the second time on Sunday, January 17, 2016, when members of notorious ‘Badoo Boys’ cult group stormed his shop and hacked his sales boy to death in Lagos.
The cult gang, which has largely remained elusive to the security agents, invaded the Ikorodu shop of Anamele, located in the Agric area of Lagos-Ikorodu Road and asked the deceased about the whereabouts of his boss who went for a meeting with a business partner.
An eyewitness who craved anonymity for security reasons told our correspondent that the assailants became furious when the victim failed to provide the hoodlums with the location of his master, thereby pouncing on him with dangerous weapons like machetes and hammers.
“He was begging them that he didn’t know where Nelson was holding a meeting with his business partner. Maybe they thought he was deceiving them because it appeared that they had information about his movement. I saw them with masks, about 12 to 14 of them; they were hitting him with machetes and hammers. I saw them from my hiding place because all of us had fled for safety. He was begging them until he suddenly went silent.
“Neighbours and other shop owners rushed to the shop immediately after they left to rescue the boy. He should be in his early 20s, but unfortunately, we met him in the pool of his blood, already dead,” the eyewitness narrated.
He added that the police arrived at the scene of the incident about 20 minutes after the departure of the criminals and they immediately cordoned off the scene, took some photos and talked to few neighbours before evacuating the corpse to the mortuary.
Speaking to our correspondent through a phone number volunteered by a shop owner, Mr. Anamele, who deals in automobile spare parts, narrated his ordeal amid intermittent sobs, that he was in hiding together with his wife and their child for safety reasons.
“I am shocked and wondering what they want from me. This is the second time in less than two months. I am a Christian and I have never involved myself in any unclean deal and I am not a member of any unlawful organisation.
“I am still dealing with the recent threat by the same people that I don’t know. It was a narrow escape for me, and, unfortunately, they killed my sales boy and maid for no offence.
“I got a call to meet with my business partner today about the goods I ordered. It was not up to 30 minutes after I stepped out when I got a call from my neighbour, calling that my sales boy was assaulted and killed in my shop. I never envisaged this tragedy after the first attack,” Anamele said.
The 36-year-old businessman narrated how the same gang had visited his home on December 10 after he had left for evening programme at his church alongside his wife and son but left their housemaid, who complained of a headache, at home.
“They also came to my house on December 10, after I left with my wife and son for our church programme but left our housemaid behind because she complained of a headache.
“We had entered the car to go home when I saw seven missed calls from my neighbour. I was wondering what the problem could be. But when I returned his call, he asked me to drive home straight because I had an emergency.
“When I got home that night, around 9.00pm, I saw the police and an ambulance at my entrance. When we entered the house, we met our housemaid brutally assaulted and raped, with her private parts ripped off and her head bleeding from a deep cut.
“The police called us and showed us a notice left behind by the killers. It reads, ‘You escape today, you will not be so lucky next time – Badoo’. I was born in Lagos, and everyone can ask around; I am a very peaceful and serious-minded man who focuses on his business. So, I don’t know why the ‘Badoo Boys’ want to kill me or why they’re killing those working with me,” he said.
“I don’t know who these people are, or what they want from me. I had to take the corpse of my maid home to her parents, who still persecuted me, accusing me of using their only daughter for money rituals. The police are still investigating the attack,” he added.
Meanwhile, police said investigations have commenced on the latest killing and confirmed that no arrest has been made in both incidents while assuring that the perpetrators will be tracked and made to face the full wrath of the law.
Ikorodu and its environment have for the past two years been experiencing mayhem with no fewer than 500 massacred in their sleep, leaving the security agents without any clue of the suspects.
The notorious gang has been fingered for a recent attack in Aleke, Adamo where four members of a family were killed after raping the mother and her two daughters.
Similarly, residents of Isiu, along Adamo-Imota Road in Ikorodu axis were shocked when the criminals launched an attack on another family, killing and raping three of its members.
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