Robbers write Lagos community, demand Xmas dues

Residents of Joseph Harrison Estate, located at Yaba area of Lagos State, have been thrown into panic after receiving a letter from suspected armed robbers.

Members of the community woke up on last Wednesday, to see the letter. The letter told residents to get ready for their impending visit. The robbers said they were coming to collect their dues for the Yuletides.

The letter was placed on a vehicle of one of the residents and discovered in the morning when the car owner was about to wash his car. The letter was stuck to his windscreen. When the man read through the letter, he initially thought assassins addressed it to him, but after reading through it, it dawned on him that it was meant for the estate.

The letter states: “We are coming this week to collect our dues and to visit you tenants and landlords of Joseph Harrison Street in the week. If you like, go and bring police or Solder; we’re coming to perform our duties. If you cooperate, we’ll not kill, but if you fail to cooperate, blood will flow.”

When our correspondent visited the estate on Monday, serious security measure had been put in place to protect lives and properties.

The Chairman of Community Development Association, Mr. Bolanle Akinyemi, said the residents couldn’t fathom what informed the robbers’ decision to bring such a letter.

Akinyemi said: “We’ve enjoyed relative peace before the robbers brought that letter. We engaged guards and policemen from Sabo Police Station. We’re also mindful of the slum that surrounds us. We’ve been conscious.”

It was gathered that the estate had not received such letter before. The residents, however, remembered that there was a robbery case in 2013, when robbers robbed a company in the estate. Two policemen, who confronted the robbers that year, sustained serious injury.

Akinyemi said: “Immediately we received the letter, we reported to Sabo Police Station. We have also contracted local vigilantes and increased the number of the security guards. The guards we hired had been deployed to the three main entrances of the estate.”

A resident, who does not want her name in print said: “To avoid such incident, we have been taking care of those who live in the slum, close to the estate. We realized that to have peace in the estate, we have to take care of our neighbours. We’ve also placed high premium on our internal security. We don't allow late night movement, and if there is anybody coming late, such a person would be subjected to serious check. Since 1975 that we’ve been living in this estate, we’ve not received such a letter.”

Another resident, Dr. Otun Adeyemi said: “If it was overseas, police would have traced the source of the letter. What we’re experiencing in Nigeria is not the best. You’ll now see them coming after the deed had been done to carry out investigation. We urge the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, to deploy policemen to patrol the estate on regular basis.”