Tension has enveloped residents of Araromi
in the Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State, following a robbery attack
that recently took place in the community.
The robbers armed to the teeth with
guns, daggers and machetes were alleged to have raided the whole buildings in
the streets, moving from apartment to apartment. They were said to have arrived
at past 12 midnight and operated until 4:am.
According to the victims, the
robbers were youths between ages 20 and 22. The robbers were said to have split
into groups, before moving to different houses to rob residents.
Our correspondent gathered that the
robbers started their robbery operation at No 1, Adewunmi Adebiyi Street and
gradually moved down the street. Four flats were robbed at No 1, Adewunmi
Adebiyi, while a person was stabbed on the thigh for refusing to part with his
money.
One of the victims at No 1, Adewunmi
Adebiyi, Mrs. Adegoroye Olashinle, said: “We were sleeping when we suddenly
heard a loud bang on our door. Before I knew what was happening, six young men barged
inside our apartment. They threatened to kill my family and I.
Olashinle said: “Immediately the
robbers entered our apartment, one of them grabbed my three-year-old son,
raised him high and pointed a gun to his head. Right in the presence of his
watching colleagues, he threatened to shoot if we didn’t submit all valuables
in the house.
“I quickly brought out the sum of N75,
000, which I had kept in my wardrobe. I also submitted my phones, laptop and my
wedding ring. They later left our apartment to that of our neighbour. When they
entered our neighbour’s apartment, we heard then shouting, ordering them to
bring out whatever they had or they would be killed.”
Another victim, who simply gave her
name as Mrs. Ganiyu said: “When the robbers entered into our apartment and
started operation, it was like watching a movie scene. The robbers threatened
to kill my husband if he didn’t cooperate with them. While they were still
talking, I rushed to our wardrobe, brought out the whole sales my husband made
on that day and handed it over to them. They left and moved to another
apartment.”
Ganiyu added: “When the robbers
pointed a gun at me, threatening to kill, I wasn’t scared. I felt that if they
kill me, they would also kill my children and husband; every one of us. It was
after they left our apartment that the situation appeared to sink in; I started
shaking. I also began to wonder how such young boys; mere kids, could boldly be
robbing older people.”
Pa Bisi Craige, 75, said that he was
sleeping when the robbers forced their way into his room.
His words: “When they burst into my
apartment, they came straight to where I was sitting and pointed a gun at me.
They said I should bring out whatever I had at home and submit to them. I
didn’t mind submitting whatever they wanted, but my fear was for my daughters.
I didn’t want them to rape my daughters. I sincerely thank God that collected
our valuables and left. I have never experienced such a robbery before in this
community. But with particular incident, it is clear that something needs to be
done about security. We need adequate security and police patrol to prevent
future occurrence.”
The Chief Imam of Olorunkemi Mosques,
Alhaji Abduganiy Salaudeen, lives at No 4, Adewunmi Adebiyi Street. He was also
not spared by the bandits.
Salaudeen recalled: “We were
sleeping when the robbers forcibly opened our door. They started moving from
one apartment to the next. The robbers robbed eight flats in our building and
collected tenants’ valuables. Whenever they gained access into any room, they
would demand for money, phones and other valuables. The robbers were mostly
young boys. In fact, they were seriously armed and threatened to kill whoever
dared to confront them. I believe the
robbers had an informant in the community, which was why they were able to
operate successfully without being challenged. Also, we have some black spots
in our community, which need serious attention. Some hoodlums used to converge
at the spots. We cannot challenge, especially since our streets do not have
gates.”
Salaudeen said that proper security
was needed in the community, starting from Mulero area. He added: “We used to
arm our security guards, but when robbers killed someone on the Lagos- Abeokuta
Expressway, policemen turned the case against one of our security guards. They
said he was the person that killed the victim. We had to stop arming them.”
Our reporter visited No. 23,
Adewunmi Adebiyi Street, where one Ibrahim was said to have been stabbed on his
shoulder. The victim, however, died on his way to the hospital.
The late Ibrahim was killed a day
after celebrating his birthday. The deceased’s co-tenants revealed his last
moments.
One of them, Isong Same: “He was
also sleeping like everyone when the gunmen came. The robbers were shouting
that we should submit whatever he had that was of value. They said they came to
collect what belonged to them. I was lying on the floor; DISCO officials had
interrupted power supply. My wife and children were on the bed. When they came
into the house, they rushed me, demanding for wife jewelries, phones and money.
I told them I didn’t have money. They started searching the house. When I tried
to raise my head, one of them hit me with a cutlass and ordered that I should
lay faced-down. After they had collected what they wanted, they went to ours
neighbours to rob them.”
Another victim, Mr. Enag Joseph, said
that the robbery operation was a well-planned one.
He said: “Whenever I was sleeping, I
usually lock my door. When I heard the cry of my co-tenants shouting for help,
I came out to check what was happening. That was when two of the robbers
marched me back into my room. They asked me to submit everything of value I had
in my house or they would kill me. I have to them or else they would kill me. I
gave them everything. Just as they were leaving, one of the robbers told his
colleagues Yoruba language that he would attack me. Before I knew what was
happening, he cut my shoulder with his machete.
“As I was coming out of my room
after the machete inflicted injury, I saw Ibrahim. He was crawling on the
ground, calling a woman to come to his rescue. He said that he didn’t want to
die. Before help could come his way, he had lost a lot of blood. It was
policemen from Dopemu Police Station that later came to take the three of us
that were wounded to a private hospital. Unfortunately, Ibrahim died before the
doctor could attend to him.
According to Joseph one of the
robbers was shot on the leg and subsequently arrested. He begged the police not
to kill him that he would disclose all the names of gang members that went for
the operation.
Joseph said: “The suspect further
confessed that one notorious robbed, nickname ‘five and six’ invited them from Alimosho
for the operation.”
A woman, who wishes to remain
anonymous, said that when she heard the noise of the robbers operating in other
tenants’ apartments. She prepared for them.
She said: “When they finally got to
my apartment, they said I should bring out everything. I woke my children and
told them that we have special guests. I greeted and welcomed them. Before they
asked me what I had at home, I had started bringing everything valuable items
out. I brought out my daughter’s laptop. When I didn’t give them the money on
time, they threatened to rape my daughter. There was a N20, 000, which I kept for
the registration of my son’s WAEC, I gave it to them. After they had collected
what they wanted, they left for another apartment.”
An elderly woman, who didn’t want
her name mentioned, explained: “When they asked me to submit every valuable
items I had in my apartment, I started begging them. I pleaded with them that I
was sick. I didn’t have any money at home. One of them insisted that I should
submit my pants and bras since I didn’t have money. I told them that my pants
are dirty and that I had soaked all in bleach. When I responded that way, one
of them suggested that they should kill me. They asked me if I thought they
were joking with me. One of them said that they should allow being because I
was old enough to be their mom.”
We
have been living in fear, say residents as OPC, APC clash
Stanley Ihedigbo
Commercial activities had been grounded for almost a
week at the Powerline, Alakoko area of Lagos
State, following a bloody clash between members of the Oodua People’s Congress
(OPC) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
Eye witnesses said that the disagreement emanated
over who has the right to use an empty space.
It was further alleged that both factions armed,
attacked each other, leading to an OPC member being shot.
“The OPC member was rushed to the hospital;
fortunately he didn’t die,” disclosed one of the eye witnesses.
When our correspondent went to Powerline, traders
explained that incident led to their shops being locked for more than a week.
The traders feared that their shops might be looted. According to them, they
had been living in fear.
A community leader, Alhaji Balogun, explained that
there was a disagreement over whether APC had right or not to make use of a
space in the area for political activities.
Balogun said: “Police presence in the area has calm
down the intension that was experienced last week. We sincerely commend the
police for their quick intervention. The situation destabilised the peace that
we had been enjoying for years. We’re appealing to politicians, who are campaigning
to make sure security is always available before they embark on whatever
campaign they want to do.”
Balogun said that politicians, while on political
campaigns, should seize opportunity to preach against youth violence,
especially in their political activities.
A resident in the area said: “ The clash started
after a mere argument. The OPC members wanted the APC members to settle them
before they could start anything on that space in the community. The OPC members
insisted that the APC members must settle them if they wanted to use the place
for their campaign. It was in that process that one of the APC members opened
fire and shot an OPC member. Before they knew what was happening, the situation
had degenerated. The both factions started shooting.. We learnt that the OPC
shot guy that was shot didn’t die. He was rushed to a private hospital for
treatment and stabilized.
“But the OPC members seized the opportunity to
create intension in the area. They ordered residents and traders to shut down
their shops and stay away from the community until further notice. Some people,
who were not aware of the incident, opened their shops, but had to hurriedly
shut down after they were threatened. Traders locked their shops for a week.
The situation calmed down last week Tuesday, when police deployed the Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), who came around on daily basis to effect arrests. Unfortunately,
some innocent youths were arrested by the police.”
A shop owner, Victor, said: “ I lost over N100, 000
during the period that our shops were closed. Some of the shop owners, who
opened for business, had their goods scattered by OPC people.”
A motorcycle
operator, Lawal, said that cyclists also had to stop working. He added: “ It
was not funny at all. We were forced to stop working; our lives were more
important than making any money. Everyone in this area was forced to stay indoors.
We are very grateful to the police, who had being coming around since the
incident in order to maintain peace. We’re still afraid because we don’t know
the plans of the OPC and APC members. We don’t know if they would come back. We
have been living in fear. The fight was too bloody. We pray that these
elections will not cause another thing to this country. The way APC members in
this area had been preparing for the election, you would think they were
preparing for war.
“This is just a process to electing politicians into
public offices, which when they get there, they will abandon the people as
usual. The politicians know those that are going to certain positions. I don’t
see reason why I should get injured because of politics.”
Another trader, Iya Tunde, lamented that her food,
which she had already prepared to sell was poured away.
She said: “some boys came to my shop, and I thought
they wanted to buy food, but instead they hit my pot of food. This is what I have
doing to support my family of six children.
I don’t have any help anywhere and I want police to always come around
the area because, I heard that those boys want to come back again to attack
people here.”
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