On Monday, October 19, 2020, at least two persons were feared killed as mayhem broke out at the Apo Mechanic Village in Abuja when suspected hoodlums hijacked the #ENDSARS protests.
The hoodlums attacked people randomly and set several vehicles belonging to the #ENDSARS protesters ablaze.
According to an eye witness, the incident happened after a horde of thugs were conveyed to the area in a large truck to disrupt the protests.
According to the eye witness, who lives in the nearby village of Apo Pigba, the thugs armed with machetes, sticks and other crude weapons, attacked the protesters and anyone else in sight.
Pandemonium broke out as some of the protesters scampered for safety while others stood their ground to defend themselves.
The invaders descended on anything and anyone in sight. Shops, vehicles, houses and anything else they could lay their hands on were not spared.
They descended on a car stand and set several cars on fire.
“Trouble allegedly started when some miscreants appeared and accosted the peaceful protesters at Kabusa junction.
“This was around 3.30 pm. The protesters resisted the intruders who came with all manner of dangerous weapons, and instead of retreating from the scene, the miscreants bent on committing mischief and started burning vehicles along the road.
The aggression extended to the popular mechanic village where the miscreants also attacked more people, burning shops and properties within their reach.
“Shop and vehicle owners who felt aggrieved by the actions of the mischief-makers went on reprisal and it was mayhem. The hoodlums managed to escape after the trouble they caused,” the eyewitness said.
The area is highly populated by Igbo traders, who it was gathered mobilized after the initial shock of the attack and chased the hoodlums away from the area.
A vehicle was also burnt earlier in the day when hoodlums attacked protesters in the central area of Abuja.
At the time of this report, soldiers had taken over the entire area.
