About 24 hours after the attack on the Abeokuta Computer Village/ Digital Market in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the ‘village’ has become the ghost of itself as phone sellers as well as customers have deserted the area.

The ‘village’ popularly called ‘Tarmarc’ which housed the mobile phone dealers and technicians’ association of Ogun State, came under heavy attack on Wednesday evening when some gunmen numbering about 13 stormed the place.

Some eyewitnesses said they were eight in number with some of them masked to avoid being identified.

Many people have wondered the audacity of the gang to have operated at the area in front of which is always guarded by police operatives and a stone throw to Ibara Divisional Police headquarters of Nigeria Police.

A member of the Association who also deals in phones and accessories, Dayo Bankole, popularly called Ebe, died from gunshot injury while receiving treatment at General Hospital Ijaye Abeokuta, while several others were injured.

Although, the Nigeria Police had linked the incident to armed robbery operation, HorizonTimes gathered from a reliable source that the report was more of cult clash between two rival groups of Eiye and Aiye Confraternities.

The source narrated that the invasion of the ‘village’ was a retaliatory attack on some members of phone sellers association who are members of Eiye confraternity over the killing of one Sheriff, popularly called ‘Sefi’ about three weeks ago.

- One of the attacked shops

Sheriff, alleged to be a member of Aiye, was killed, allegedly by members of Eiye, in Panseke area on the night of March 24, 2022, after he had closed shop at the ‘Tarmarc’. He was also a member of the Association.

Sheriff’s death, it was further gathered, was sequel to the death of another Eiye leader popularly called Tommy, about a year ago in the same Panseke area of Abeokuta.

When the gang came calling, Ebe, and some other members of the Association were said to have engaged them in a duel which lasted for about an hour.

The gunmen were reported to have disembarked from the unsuccessful operation and were escaping through the Omida market, while shooting sporadically.

Ebe and others were reported to have gave them hot chase before he fell to the bullet of the attackers around Olusegun Osoba way in Jide Jones area.

Ebe's remains were brought to the Tarmark on Thursday morning before he was later buried.

When HorizonTimes visited the area on Thursday, the ever-busy computer village was the ghost of itself as many shops were under lock and key.

- Shops under lock and key

Some members of the association were seen hanging around their shops while few sellers opened their shop in disguise but did not display their goods.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed that the police were deployed following a distress call put across to Ibara divisional headquarters.

“Distress call was quickly made to the police at Ibara divisional headquarters, consequence upon which the DPO Ibara division, CSP Abayomi Adeniji quickly mobilized his anti robbery and surveillance teams in collaboration with men of Amotekun corps and moved to the scene.

“On sighting the policemen, the robbers engaged them in gun battle, but due to the superior fire power of the policemen, the hoodlums took to their heels.

“They were hotly chased and with the assistance of the market men, one of the robbers later identified as Adeniji Sakiru, 32 years old, was apprehended.”

- Adeniji Sakiru - Arrested by the police

Governor Dapo Abiodun of the State, has however sympahised with the traders on the attack, while calling on security operatives to go after the fleeing members of the gang.

Governor Abiodun, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin said, “The unfortunate incident that occurred on the 12th of April, orchestrated by armed robbers that led to the gruesome murder of one of the traders at a popular phone market known as "Tarmac" at Oke-Ilewo area of Abeokuta was reported to me and my sympathy goes to all the traders who lost valuables as well as the family of the deceased trader. May God give the affected traders the grace to bear the losses of life and properties.

"I commend the efforts of the anti-robbery and surveillance teams; the Amotekun corps and the traders who took immediate action - efforts of which yielded in the capturing of one of the hoodlums - and also bring a semblance of peace to the vicinity.

"I am using this medium to reiterate that no level of criminality will be condoned in the state as my administration has put in place people, processes and technology to deter all criminal activities and to apprehend faulting persons or groups.”