Lagos is a big city in Nigeria and is the home of about 20 million people. It is a place that always goes wild with activities that keep the city awake into the late hours of the night. Someone said: “Lagos is not a place for the slow and faint-hearted, but for the fierce”. Lagos being a metropolis that was the federal capital has earned different titles. Even as far back as 1976, Lagos was still a boastful highly modernised and peaceful setting.
Lagos is the most interesting place to be in Nigeria as it has many beautiful places for tourists and guests. Such places include the Freedom Park, the intriguing 3rd Mainland Bridge, Victoria Island, National Museum etc…
Just as beautiful as Lagos is, it has some ugly sides too. With so many places to see and opportunities to live in Lagos, the mega-city can get get very dangerous even in broad daylight. With its population, Lagos has over 30,000 Policemen working to keep the peace and order. This is because Lagos has consistently experienced a soaring crime rate on daily basis. Crime or violence could be from a religious conflict to cultists clash, robbery and street fights.
Despite the heavy presence of the Police in Lagos, one still has to be careful of places to go in Lagos at certain times. Below are 20 dangerous places in Lagos to avoid at night.
OSHODI OKE & ISALE
Oshodi was notorious for being a permanent place for street urchins. Even before the infrastructural development made by a former Governor of the State, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), people tread the popular marketplace in fear. To date, Oshodi still harbours a large number of touts and pickpockets. Fights could break out anytime and claim the lives of many innocent passers-by in broad daylight. At night, Oshodi is not a safe place to be, especially on the bridge linking the BRT Bus Terminals.
YABA WAEC
In this part of Lagos, attack by thieves posing as motorcyclists has always been a topic on the lips of residents. Walking on this road late at night exposes you to such attacks.
MUSHIN
On the streets of Mushin, everyone moves about in full alertness. The area is one of the most popular places but notorious for its high crime rates. In Mushin, touts are usually hostile and are ready to attack passers-by at the slightest provocation. Sometimes, cult clashes may lead to destructive calamities in the area.
Street boys go as far as burning cars, houses, breaking into homes and raping innocent girls and women.
AJEGUNLE
In Lagos, Ajegunle is regarded as a new world that is different from other parts of Lagos. It is densely populated and gangsters are involved in all sorts of crimes. It is the only standard “Ghetto” in Nigeria. Residents live in harsh conditions and exhibit everything criminal that comes their way.
3RD MAINLAND BRIDGE
On this bridge, pray your car never breaks down late at night. It would always go south as criminal activities run in daylight as well as at the night. This makes it a dangerous place to have a car break down at night.
AGEGE PENCINEMA
Agege is another area on the Police radar that records ceaseless cultist clashes, theft, drugs and rape. There has been no change in the pattern of crimes in the area despite the construction of the overhead bridge, the crime rate is still high. The railway tracks are for ambush at night. One could easily get waylaid on the tracks by street urchins.
Residents are living in fear as youths constantly get high on drugs, which is fueling the crime rate in the area.
IKORODU
Ikorodu is a popular town close to the Lagoon sharing border with Ogun State. Areas such as Ilara, Anibaba, Itupate, Igbo Olomu and Isawo are popular for invasions by militants who live in the creeks. Therefore, the kidnapping rate is on the rise in the area. Asides from disturbance from militants, these areas still are not free from the activities of hoodlums. The areas are also notorious for cultist clashes.
IKEJA
In Ikeja, you can find many beautiful places such as 5-star hotels with lovely restaurants to cool down and get some leisure. The new bridge in construction in the area has rather opened an avenue for more criminal activities. Before now, the popular Computer Village was known for various scam activities and theft. Altogether, this is not a place to wander at night.
IYANA-IWORO
It is at the end of the 3rd Mainland Bridge and usually packed with hoodlums and passers-by. Sometimes, during gridlocks, hoodlums raid cars and passers-by alike.
IJORA
This is another place that has a large presence of thugs who are ready to steal and commit any crime. It is another slum area filled with drug abusers and prostitutes. In this area, inter-tribal conflicts are also an expected affair from time to time.
BARIGA
Bariga is in the heart of Lagos, linking Somolu. A slum that is popular with gang fights, rape, and kidnapping. To avoid being a victim of any of these unfortunate circumstances, Bariga should be avoided at night.
DOPEMU BRIDGE
The Dopemu Bridge is on the road leading to Ogun State. At night, it is a place you do not want to be. It becomes very deserted which leaves street urchins free to harass and commit crimes at will.
MILE 12 KETU
In this part of Lagos, there have been reported cases of violence, thefts and riots. Many hoodlums have been caught and arrested with ammunition and local charms. With this, other criminal activities and traffic robbery are now a speciality at night.
OJOTA
This area is not lagging behind among Lagos’ most dangerous territories of violence. The pedestrian bridges constructed to facilitate the easy movement of vehicles have also been turned into places of constant harassment and drug abuse.
ODO IYALARO (MARYLAND)
This place is also known for constant pressure by touts. You do not want to get caught in traffic in the area as hoodlums go as far as robbing cars in traffic.
OTEDOLA BRIDGE
This is a route constantly used by large vehicles. The area is popular for constant fire outbreaks and accidents. This usually leads to long hours of traffic on that road. At night, people in cars get robbed and sometimes kidnappers seize the opportunity to raid.
ILE ZIK BUS STOP
This is a route that leads to the Lagos Abeokuta Expressway. Ile Zik Bus Stop is popular as a ritualist den as revealed in 2017. Constant kidnapping had been the vogue in the area until the den was uncovered by the Police. Even with this, it is still a place to stay away from at night.
OKOKOMAIKO (SHIBIRI)
This is another area that is very popular for cultism and other related criminal activities. Shibiri could be classified as a safe haven for criminals. This is an area at Okokomaiko where criminals are recruited and trained.
ODUNFA & ONALA ON LAGOS ISLAND
In this area, the Police and residents have recorded so many crime scenes. Crime is on the rise on the Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island is also picking up its pace on the route. Odunfa and Onala are areas that boast more criminal activities than you can imagine.
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