A man, who gave his name simply as Omotayo, has expressed fear after some residents in the Mile 12 area of Lagos advised him not to return to the area soon, following his ordeal at the hands of some hoodlums who attacked him on Saturday.
The 27-year-old victim, in an interview with PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, said he was going to a market in the Mile 12 area to buy a gadget when some persons suspected to be thugs in the area summoned him.
He said he ignored them because he had no business with them and he suspected they wanted to rob him.
He said after some time, one of them traced him to the shop where he was buying a lamp, with a broken bottle in his hand.
He said, “That day, I was going to buy a reading lamp. I stopped at the Mile 12 market. Some boys said I should come but I ignored their summon and told them not to call me again.
“After some time, one of them entered the shop with a broken bottle and ordered me to come out of the place. He said he would destroy the things in the shop if I didn’t come outside.
“The owner of the shop told me to leave when the guy kept threatening and shouting that he would destroy things.”
He said before he knew it, other persons numbering about seven, suspected to be members of the other man’s gang, arrived at the scene.
“They started hitting me all over my body. When I realised the situation was becoming a matter of life and death, I tried to defend myself with an item I found around. But they overpowered me, they stabbed me all over my body, I was in the pool of blood,” he told PUNCH Metro.
Speaking further, the victim said, “After they took my phone and other things and left me, I managed to see someone who helped me to call my mother whose number I could recall.”
The victim, who was later hospitalised at Helaal Specialist Hospital in the Mile 12 area, said he had moved to an undisclosed state for further treatment because he feared his life was under threat.
A two minutes 50 seconds video of the victim while being treated in the hospital showed bandages on his arms, face and head as the doctor was stitching a part of his arm.
Omotayo said he had not reported to the police because he was rushed to the hospital and he just had to ensure his safety first.
When contacted on Sunday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said he was not aware of the matter.
“I am not aware of the report,” he simply said.