Lagos Task Force arrests notorious “Awawa Boys” kingpin in Lagos

By OKOSUN DENNIS

Determined to rid the Lagos state metropolis of the activities of cult boys, the operatives of the Lagos State Task Force have arrested a notorious ‘Awawa Boys’ deadly leader identified as Tobi Akinbayo a.k.a (Scorpion).

Two of his notorious group Muyideen Olayinka and Ibrahim Olaniran were also arrested at Aluminium Village, Dopemu, Agege area of Lagos State.

The Awawa boys who have been terrorising some part of Lagos for sometimes was paraded before newsmen on Lagos on Wednesday by the Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, Superintendent Olayinka Egbeyemi.

He confirmed that activities of the notorious “Awawaa Boys” have been giving the State Security Services some concern.

Attributing cases of reported rape, armed robbery and killing of innocent citizens to Awawa Boys, SP Olayinka explained that the Agency in recent past, have received a lots of petitions about the activities of Awawa Boys hence he directed the Surveillance Until of the Agency to closely monitor their activities at different parts of the State culminating to their arrest around Aluminium Village, Dopemu in Agege.

He also confirmed that other terrorising groups leaders who are at large include one  Paul a.k.a (Bouncing)  leader of ‘Nokia Group’ and Habeeb a.k.a (Oluwa) of “Shita Boys” who has killed, raped and robbed innocent citizens of their valuable around Aluminium Village, Dopemu, Agege.

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It was learnt that the taskforce has widened its scope of Surveillance Unit with a view to covering other parts of the State where the notorious boys are terrorising innocent members of the public.

Confessing to the crime, the notorious “Awawa Boys”  kingpin Tobi Akinbayo a.k.a  (Scorpion) who lives at No. 10 Salako Street, Alluminium Village, Dopemu said his boys raped, burgled and  killed innocent citizens who confronted them during any of their operations  around Dopemu area.

Tobi said, “We sell Indian helm to commercial bus drivers and area boys around Dopemu and its environs. He further added that they forcefully raped one Miss Rufia Ogunbowale, the daughter of one Mrs Taiwo Iyabo, who lives at 26, Bello Street, Dopemu, Agege on the 5th of May, 2016 at about 12 noon.

The 28 years old native of  Kuta-ilegbo Town, Abeokuta, Ogun State said that “Awawa Boys” is one umbrella and that they only have branches at different parts of the State claiming to be the leader of the group that controls Dopemu and its environs.

The President of the Aluminium and Accessories Association, Aluminium Village, Dopemu Branch, Mr. Biliaminu Oladimeji disclosed that his members including residents around the area have lost several millions of naira to the activities of these notorious boys and other dangerous groups around the area.

He said different group leaders who terrorised them collect between N1000 to N2000 per day as security levy noting that any member that refuses to pay is subjected to harrassment including burgling such person’s shop overnight.

Giving details of their notoriety, Oladimeji said that they burgles not less than 10 to 15 shops on monthly basis and that all reported cases to the nearest Nigerian Police Station at Dopemu did not deterred them as non of them could be arrested by the Police for fear of being attacked.

One of the victims, Ejike Okoronto, an Aluminium trader said his shop was burgled at No. 4 Bello Ajare Street, Dopemu Agege by Awawa Boys who had invaded his shop on 23rd of March, 2016 and carted away Aluminium accessories worth N3m overnight.

Meanwhile, a 12-year-old, Miss Rufia Ogunbowale who was raped said Tobi Akinbayo a.k.a  (Scorpion) jumped through the fence to enter their room on that faithful day while her mother went to the market and tied her mouth with a scarf on her head and raped her with a pool of blood after.

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She said her mother who could not do anything because of fear of being attacked quickly took her to Abeokuta where she was treated and that since then she has been living in  Abeokuta at her late father’s house.

According to Miss Rufia Ogunbowale who was raped “Tobi Akinbayo a.k.a  (Scorpion) threatened to kill my mother if she dare report them to any Security Agencies including the Nigerian Police”.

Mrs Taiwo Iyabo (46 years), the mother of the raped girl confessed that “truly they raped my daughter but as they threatened to kill me and other children if I should report to the Police I quickly took her to her late father’s house at Abeokuta for local treatment and since then she has been staying there for the safety of her life”.

While appealing to members of the public to be vigilant especially within their environment pointed out that the suspects would be charged to court on completion of investigations.