Armed group storm Lagos, kidnap Fouani Group MD Mohamed Fouani, others

The myth of a secure South West has been shattered again.

Armed men at the weekend kidnapped prominent Lebanese business men of the Fouani family fame. Sources told Irohinoodua that kidnapping has increased in Lagos in the past two years with an average of 50 people kidnapped daily most of which are unreported.

The gory incidence took place in downtown Lagos at the weekend.

The abductors are asking for $1.5m

The Fouani family is a popular Lebanese family in Lagos. They are associated with electronics importation and distribution across Nigeria.

Lebanese have been notable businessmen in the South West in the past 100 years and were noted to have sustained a flourishing business heritage in Lagos and Ibadan.

The latest incidence has broken the myth that the South West is immune from the grip of violence now well established across the country.

General Secretary, Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement, (AYDM) Mr Popoola Ajayi told Irohinoodua that the incidence was not unexpected given the invasion of South West by thousands of street urchins from across the country and even from West Africa while the authorities have taken no practical steps to curtail what seems certain to upturn the economic and social stability of Nigeria’s once most peaceful and prosperous region.

“What is lacking is vision. There is no security architecture for the South West.I predict that things may get worse. The political leaders are also far isolated from the socio-cultural forces in Yorubaland which would deny them prompt information on security and livelihood of the people and the stability of the government itself,” Ajayi said.

A police source told Irohinoodua that the kidnappers are likely to have used a boat to escape or may have used the Epe road to escape signalling the poor security network in Lagos.