•Abandon some loot as police intervene
Suspected robbers on Monday morning raided Ibadan Street in Ilupeju, Lagos, beating their victims to surrender cash and valuables.
The armed men, who were said to have attacked the area around 2am with ýguns, irons and knives, raided about six compounds. They fled after men of the Ilupeju Police Division confronted them.
It was gathered that the suspects, numbering about six, brought a bus which they parked at Ile-Ise Bus Stop, on Shylloný Street to cart away the stolen items.
Among the compounds attacked were 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30ý Ibadan Street, some of which had no perimeter fence.
It was gathered that the robbers, who damaged the street gate, tied up two night guards ýbefore embarking on their mission.
Although they were said to have escaped with about N300,000 and mobile phones, The Nation learnt that they abandoned a car, some Plasma Television sets, laptops and Ipads ýthey stole from their victims.
It was gathered that one of the victims, a Department of State Security (DSS) agent, allegedly lost N200,000 and five laptops to the armed men, while N40,000, N20,000ý and N10,000 were stolen from other victims.
Recounting her ordeal, a 69-year-old woman, who spoke under anonymityý, said they broke her net and forced their way into her room.
She said the hoodlums hit her head with an iron because she tried to run out of her room after they gained entry.
She said: “It was around 2am, I was in my room and I didn’t know what was happening. Suddenly, I heard a noise as though someone was trying to break my door net. I asked who was that? But someone shouted that I should open the door. I immediately suspected that something was wrong and so, I moved towards the door.
“By that time, they have broken my net and were trying to force my door open. I struggled with them but they overpowered me. Immediately they entered, I tried to run out because my daughters were in the next room, but one of them used an iron to hit my head and blood started rushing out.
“It was later that I knew they had gone to my children’s room, collected N19,000 and three phones. I also learnt that they robbed four apartments in my compound alone and they went to about five other compounds,” she said.
The woman praised the police for coming to their rescue. She disclosed that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) had visited her twice and was instrumental to her being treated at a private hospital.
She urged them to sustain regular patrols in the area to ward off hoodlums.
Another victim, who gave her name as Jane, told The Nation that one of the robbers who entered her room was hooded.
She suspected that it must be a familiar face, adding that the other suspects were not maskedý and unrecognisable.
A man said the intervention of the policemen saved other houses on the street from being raided.
He disclosed that after dismantling electronics from his neighbours’ house, the armed robbers collected his car key with a view to transport the ýelectronics to their bus stationed on Shyllon Street.
He said: “They were more than five in number. I saw two young boys among them. We heard that they picked irons from a welder’s shop on the street. They were shooting sporadically.
“They broke many doors and threatened people. Although they abandoned television sets, laptops and Ipads, money and phones were not seen.
“They collected N200,000 from a DSS operative and five laptops. They also collected various amounts from victims and even beat up some people. They tied our gatemen to a burglary proofý in one of the compounds.
At the time The Nation visited the street, most of the landlords were going for a meeting called upon by the landlords’ association chairman, Idowu Orelaja.
ýOrelaja, who said robbers have not attacked the street in the last 20 years, promised to forestall future occurrence.
A source at the police station confirmed the attack, adding that all valuables recovered were released to the victims.
She said no arrest has been made.
ý”Yes, there was an armed robbery attack but our men who were on patrol rose to the occasion and chased the bandits away.
“While they were fleeing, they abandoned Plasma Television sets they had stolen, laptops, Ipads and a car key they collected from one of their victims with which they intended to park their loot.
“They items were instantly released to their owners and our men have been patrolling the area since then,” said the police source.
When contacted, the police command spokesperson, Patricia Amadin, ýa Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said she was unaware of the development, promising to find out and get back to the reporters.
