IGP, Hafiz Ringim
Perhaps, in tandem with the season’s rise in crime index, there is a resurgence of violent crime in the Lagos metropolis as evidenced by the killing of no fewer than four persons Tuesday when a five-man armed robbery gang struck in different parts such as Oworonshoki and Oshodi Expressway.
After the robbery incidents, which lasted about 50 minutes, four persons were killed, several injured and a yet-to-be identified policeman was abducted.
According to an eyewitness account, the first robbery operation began by 6.30am at Olopomeji Bus Stop along the Oworonshoki Expressway.
The first victim, one Akanni Kaoroudeen, a driver, was shot dead as he tried to escape by defying the order of the gang that all vehicles should stop.
The deceased was driving a red Toyota Camry car with registration number: NR307KJA.
The deceased was driving a red Toyota Camry car with registration number: NR307KJA.
Speaking on conditions of anonymity, the owner of the car, a member of staff of one of the old generation banks located at the Adeyemo Alakija Branch expressed shock at the brutal manner Akanni was cut down.
According to her, when the robbers spewed out their orders, she had warned Akanni not to move but he defied her instruction and tried to move the car but was cut down in a hail of bullets.
Continuing, she said what triggered the death of Akanni was the fact that he thwarted the attempt by the armed robbers to use their car to block another target, thereby helping the target to escape.
Recounting her near-death experience, she said: “I was with one of my colleagues in the car and as usual we had left our houses at the wee hours of the morning to beat traffic on our way to work when a car double-blocked us and ordered us not to move.
“Akanni’s attempt to escape was aborted as the armed robbers sprayed my car with bullets and although I and my colleague were not affected because we had buried our heads between our knees, Akanni was shot in the chest.
“While the robbery lasted, motorists left their cars and fled for their lives thereby causing chaos along the road.”
“While the robbery lasted, motorists left their cars and fled for their lives thereby causing chaos along the road.”
When the situation abated, policemen and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) moved in to control traffic as well as remove the corpse.
At the scene of the incident, the President of the Oworonshoki Youth Development Association (OYDA), Mr. Ignatius Babajide, said the armed robbers capitalised on the usual traffic gridlock in the area to wreak havoc by robbing their unsuspecting victims.
Done with robbing the area, the armed gang moved towards the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, killing about three people in the process.
The second operation also left four people injured, while a policeman was abducted as the robbers made a quick get-away.
According to an eyewitness who simply identified himself as Jide, the gang only killed the victims because they were shooting sporadically at passers-by instead of into the air.
According to an eyewitness who simply identified himself as Jide, the gang only killed the victims because they were shooting sporadically at passers-by instead of into the air.
The visibly rattled Jide said the robbers who drove down to Oshodi in an SUV, were armed with sophisticated weapons, which they used freely.
He narrated that while the shooting lasted, a young man who was waiting at Oshodi Bus Stop was shot in the head and a woman who was in a commercial bus was hit in the neck by a stray bullet.
He added that another yet-to-be identified woman who was crossing the road was shot in the stomach.
Besides those killed by the stray bullets, two area boys were shot on their legs by the gang. The gang after scaring away people, now zeroed-in on its target, a car, and robbed its occupants.
Jide claimed the cash was so much, the robbers could not make away with all, so they sped away after abducting a police officer along the Plaza Road.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, a deputy superintendent of police, said no person was shot dead. Although he confirmed the incident, he however stated strongly that no one was shot dead.
He said: “Although the armed robbers only shot one person and he has since been rushed to the hospital, no person died neither was any policeman abducted.”
He noted that the state police command was on top of the situation to ensure that the perpetrators of the act were caught and brought to book within the ambits of the law.
He noted that the state police command was on top of the situation to ensure that the perpetrators of the act were caught and brought to book within the ambits of the law.
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