July 11, (THEWILL) – In the last few months, there have been news reports on the activities of traffic robbers in different parts of the Lagos metropolis and its immediate environs. From the accounts given by some victims, it is clear that while there appears to be a surge in traffic robberies, the mode of operation of the robbers is still the same. The only difference, THEWILL investigation reveals, is that the criminals have become more daring and bold than ever. Nowadays, they launch attacks in broad daylight, sometimes as early as 2pm and in the full glare of other members of the public.
As always, the preferred targets are motorists and other road users caught in hellish gridlocks. They approach their victims either on foot or on motorcycles, force them at gunpoint to surrender their cell phones, wallets, expensive wristwatches, money and other belongings or risk a gunshot, which could be fatal, before disappearing from the scene of the crime.
A disturbing dimension to traffic robberies on Lagos roads is the fact that the attacks have become quite frequent, especially in areas identified as crime blackspots. THEWILL investigation also shows that from a few points in the city notorious for such incidents, such as Eko Bridge, Mile 2, Ketu Alapere, Somolu and parts of Ikeja, the attacks seem to have spread to other parts of the metropolis, thereby leaving commuters and motorists with harrowing tales and forcing them to either abandon the affected routes or resort to the means of defending themselves and securing their property during attacks.
In some cases in the past, a few lives were lost or the victims inflicted with severe injuries. A recent robbery attack on travellers caught in a gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which is currently under reconstruction, left one person dead. Of course, the robbers escaped from the scene without a trace and the police are still unable to come up with a single clue that could lead to their arrest.
Some motorists and commuters who were victims of traffic robbery attacks recounted their experience to THEWILL. One of them, Denrele Olasunkanmi, said he almost lost his life during an encounter with traffic robbers.
In response to a casual wave from the criminals on his way from work one evening, an unsuspecting Olasunkanmi, who was alone in his car, wound down his window only to find a gun pointing at him at close range. The robbers ordered him to surrender his cell phone and wallet. He obeyed without hesitation, but the robbers were not satisfied. One of them hit him with the butt of the gun. Denrele’s offence was that the money they found in his wallet was too small. Nobody came to his rescue while the ordeal lasted. What more? The incident occurred during a hold-up right under the Ipodo Bridge in the heart of Ikeja.
Another motorist, Uche, had a slightly different experience. In his case, his two cell phones, both of them expensive gadgets, were stolen from his car in a traffic hold-up. As he briefly engaged in a conversation with a young woman who asked for directions to her destination, some other person, whom he later understood to be her accomplice, stealthily removed the phones. By the he realised that he was being set up, both thieves had disappeared.
Speaking with THEWILL, another victim, whose name is Ejike, narrated how he was attacked sometime last month by two men on a motorcycle in the Somolu area of Lagos. “I was going to my home on a commercial motorcycle. All of a sudden, two rough-looking men on another motorcycle blocked our way. One of the men brought out a gun and pointed it at me. Just then, I knew I was about to be robbed. The man ordered me to handover my phone, wristwatch and wallet. This happened right in the presence of a policeman, but he did nothing to stop the robbers,” he said.
Since the incident, Ejike has never felt comfortable with the security situation in Lagos State.
According to another victim, Mr Kehinde Ajibade, who also shared his baffling experience with THEWILL, the fact that most of these incidents take place during gridlocks and in the full glare of passersby makes it very worrisome. Nearly everyone in Lagos, he adds, can attest to the fact that there are always gridlocks o Lagos roads late in the evenings.
While Ajibade, like Ejike, Uche, Olasunkanmi and many others not mentioned, was also robbed of his cell phones, wristwatch and wallet, yet another victim, Dr Felix Igwe, had to stop driving to work after his car tyres were deflated by some frustrated traffic robbers one afternoon. Thankful that he still had his life intact, he told THEWILL that he managed to park his car somewhere and returned home in a taxi cab.
These encounters and several others have made living in Lagos look not a little scary and challenging. However, when contacted by THEWILL for his reaction, The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, denied there was a rise in traffic robbery incidents in the state in the last few months.
He said the Lagos State Police Command had to a large extent succeeded in checking the activities of traffic robbers, particularly in some areas where such activities are concentrated.
According to him, over 150 suspects have been arrested in Lagos for traffic robbery since March. When the courts reopen, he added, the suspected criminals would be charged and made to face trial. However, some of the suspects have been granted bail and others still in police custody.
To effectively address the situation, Adejobi stated that over 200 motorcycles and some equipment were made available to the police and police riders have been assigned to the motorcycles. With this, he noted, traffic robbery has been drastically reduced in Lagos.
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