Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos
July 8, 2015 – Not less than 42 hooligans were arrested in Lagos by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences.
They were arrested Wednesday afternoon during a raid in their hideout in Oshodi. They are mainly young men from the age of 13 to 25.
Five out of the 42 arrested were under-aged between the age of 13 and 15 and would be taken to correctional centres for rehabilitation, while the rest will be tried in a special court set up for the exercise.
While parading the suspects before journalists in Lagos, some of them claimed they were from Ibadan, while some claimed they are either from Sango Ota or Ikorodu. Others claim to be selling cassettes and other items along the railways at Oshodi. In overall, they were looking very haggard and unkempt.
However, a very close examination of the suspects by journalists and members of the outfit showed that at least ten of the suspects examined had inscriptions of various cult groups in their arms, chest and other hidden areas in their body. Some had signs of scorpion, star, birds and other fearful objects on their skin.
Some even had inscriptions such as F, Star Boys and others
with inscriptions confirming their ranks all over their foreheads.
Confirming the ruggedness of the group, one of the officers that took part in the raid said it took about eight officers to handcuff one of the suspects whom he said was among the high ranking members of the cults.
