Security Alert: Armed bandit on rampage in Lagos Mainland.

The issue of security in Lagos state is becoming a major concern, i mean what will you call the consistent harassment and robbery at gun point around Allen junction almost every day and no one including Men of the Nigeria police force has been able to tackle it. I was robbed at gun point at Allen junction and they even threatened to shoot me,despite that i didn't struggle with them.

I believe the next project of the Lagos state government after the beautification or better still while the beautification is going on is to ensure security of life and properties, but we cannot rely on the men of the police force. We need to revisit the issue of community policing or vigilante. I was robbed twice in a month and i was shocked at the level at which things were happening because the stories kept coming in on how people fell victims everyday.

I will use this avenue to talk about what happened to me and a few of the antics i have heard about so that we can be careful and conscious of what is going on around us:

The first one happened on 10th February around 8pm,i was on my way home and i stood at Allen junction bus stop to pick a bike.I got one and i boarded it. Just about 2 metres move,he told me he wasn't going that i should come down.Before i could say a thing,they rushed out with guns (Not locally made) and within 1 minute, everything i was carrying was gone.I reported at Alausa police station immediately.All they did was to congratulate me that i didn't struggle and they told me many gist's about the number of people killed recently around Ikeja. Though by divine intervention i got back one of my phones which was abandoned in a taxi and my international passport dropped on the road somewhere in Ikeja GRA.

The second one i cannot even classify it whether it was an act of God or carelessness. It happened after Ogudu bus stop. I was coming from Lagos island around 9pm and my car stopped on top speed and i started pushing it with my wife,behind wheels. After pushing for like 30 minutes with no help in sight, 4 men came out of the bush to attack us. Policemen came as soon as they finished robbing us, they didn't even stop to offer any help they sped pass us until we got to a comfortable place to run to. People told us that we are the fifth set of people to be robbed on the same spot that same night and that they always strike when police move away from their spot to patrol. what a timing! I was really convinced that police is actually my 'friend'.

Lolu Daniels a colleague of mine was robbed at first bank bus-stop on Allen, David Ugonna was also robbed at Allen junction. Angela an NYSC member serving in the same office was also robbed in the same manner. Paul a banker friend was almost shot, he missed death just by a whisker.All this within a circle, how many more that i don't even know about. The first one that happened to me was reported,of course they ask for money for paper, the second time i did not even bothered.

Here are the few way i have gathered they operate for readers to read and learn.

1) Their most consistent way is using bike popularly know as Okada.Be careful the kind of bike you fly at night and early in the morning, 3 of the victims was robbed on a bike.

2) The other one is for them to follow your car with a bike till they get to a comfortable place to strike.Whenever you are driving late,drive smartly and be vigilante.

3) Another amusing way i heard about is for them to hit your car, your normal reaction will be to rush out to see the extent of the damage, then they will jump down to perform what they know best to do. If someone should hit your car when and where you know it is not safe.Please don't bother to check it just move on.

4) Another antics is to rob people inside traffic log jam, be careful and wind up your car windows in traffic,in case you notice robbery while you are in traffic don't attempt to run either with your cars or abandoning it, many have lost their lives and so many women rapped.

5) The one i considered most creative is for them to pretend their vehicle broke down on a narrow road ahead of a number of cars,then they will jump out to rob unsuspecting cars trailing them behind. For this one am lost at what you can do, but always pray to God for protection.

Armed robbers are on rampage and Government is at loss of what to do or how to tackle them. For how long will this continue to happen?

God help Nigeria! we desire a change.

It is well!!!