Hoodlums Set 17-Year-Old On Fire In Lagos, Paste His Obituary

Some hoodlums have set a 17-year-old boy, Lekan Agbaje, on fire on Amodu Street, in the Idi Oro, Mushin area of Lagos.

It was gathered that the attacker initially stabbed their victim before they set him ablaze and left him for dead.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Lekan was, however, rescued by passersby and policemen from the Alakara division, who rushed the teenager to a private hospital.

Our correspondent gathered that the assailants who were confident that the teenager was dead, pasted his obituary posters in the community.

It was learnt that on Saturday, at about 6pm, the teenager and a friend had strolled out, but were ambushed by the hoodlums.

Lekan, who the assailants reportedly claimed was a member of a rival faction, was dragged to a corner and stabbed several times.

Not done, the hoodlums doused him with kerosene before setting him on fire.

They reportedly fled the scene when they sighted a police patrol vehicle approaching the area.

When PUNCH Metro visited the area on Wednesday, a resident, who identified himself simply as Kehinde, said the hoodlums were holding an event in the area on Friday, which must be marked with killing.

He said, “The boys were about 100. They held a party in a house on the street. They wore blue shirts and caps. At about the evening time, the police patrol vans came into the area and arrested a good number of them.

“The boy was attacked at about evening time. We learnt that the hoodlums had to kill someone to mark their celebration. So, they attacked Lekan. They also pasted his obituary.”

When our correspondent visited the hospital where Lekan was being treated, the mother, who pleaded not to be named, said the family had spent N130,000 on him, adding that they had run out of money .

She stated that Lekan did not belong to any cult group, but was a victim of hoodlums’ indiscriminate attacks in the area.


She said, “They stabbed him with bottles in the face and stomach. His burnt body has yet to heal. We have spent about N130,000. The doctors said we should get another N250,000. I am tired. I am a hair dresser.

“He is not a cult member. He just finished secondary school. I want Nigerians and the government to help me. He is my first son. The hoodlums removed almost all his teeth. He cannot talk or eat.”

Our correspondent observed the teenager on the sick bed, with bandage on his head, waist and hands.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Patricia Amadin, had yet to respond to a text message sent to her phone on the incident as of press time.