Lagos hoodlums attack two men for criticising CDA leaders

<p>Two activists, Lai Brown and Shoddy Coker, have been injured after they were attacked by suspected hoodlums in the Alafia community, Ipaja, in the Agbado Oke-Odo Local Government Area of Lagos.</p>, <p>PUNCH Metro gathered that the activists who were known to be vocal about societal issues in the community and Lagos at large, were also usually criticising the leadership of their Community Development Association over the executives’ leadership style.</p>, <p>An eyewitness and resident in the area, Banji Dunsin, said one of the victims, Coker, was hit with a bottle on the head by the two hoodlums on July 22, 2023, while they were taking a stroll in the area.</p>, <p>Dunsin, who spoke with our correspondent on Saturday said, “They (the CDA) are trying to control those activists. The activists used to be part of the executives of the CDA, but they resigned after they discovered some shady things and the fact that the association was not being run democratically.</p>, <p>“It started on Friday night around 7pm. The two of them, while taking a stroll, wanted to cross the road, and one of the hoodlums just pushed Brown and punched him in the mouth. Brown was angry, but Coker, who was with Brown, held him back from fighting, and then the hoodlums left.</p>, <p>“But on Saturday around 8am, while greeting children along the road where he (Coker) went to buy something, a guy just rushed and smashed a bottle on his head and blood started gushing out. Brown was also there and everybody came out and was wondering what was happening.</p>, <p>“Later, when the matter got to the police station, everybody gathered including the CDA chairman. But the elders intervened because the boys are known in the area, and everybody wanted peace.”</p>, <p>A source close to the victims said “Brown was the acting secretary of the youth association of the CDA before he resigned while Coker was the youth chairman. They resigned at the same time. They were even three that resigned. I think they’re angry with them because of their stance, they’re