In the dark hours, under the bridges and in bushy neighbourhoods, hooligans are unleashing terror on residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports
There is a growing network of bridges in the federal capital city. But so also is there an increasing army of hoodlums lurking under them and bringing misery to their victims. They rob and inflict injury on their preys.
The bridges are everywhere. Many are in use, some under construction. You see them along the ever-busy six-lane Apo-Maitama Expressway, Area One and Zone Seven intersections, and also at Abuja- Kubwa-Kaduna Expressway. There are some more bridges at Gwarimpa Junction linking residents of Dawaki in Buari Area Council, and, of course, elsewhere.
Bridges are good. They ease transportation. But findings have revealed that most of the bridges have become death zones, especially at night. Several attacks have been recorded around some of these bridges, helped by the fact that they are poorly or in bushy areas.
One of such attacks occurred last Monday when an Assistant Business Editor with The Guardian newspaper, Mathias Okwe was robbed by some hoodlums at the popular Apo Bridge at about 11pm.
Mr. Okwe, who narrated his ordeal to Abuja Review after he was discharged from the hospital, thanked God for saving his life.
He said, “Abuja is dark and it has become very dangerous to move around particularly at night. I just pulled by the road to urinate around 11pm at the popular Apo Bridge. I was coming from the Legislative Quarters where I went to see someone. From nowhere some hoodlums attacked me. I did not see them as they approached.
“When I got to the hospital that night I was told that there was no week that such incident didn’t happen. The nurses said people are usually rushed in with different cuts on their body. The police officers at the Garki police station where I reported the incident are also aware of the sad development and they confirmed it. They said it is always a recurring decimal. “The prosecutor at the station also told me that when they take those boys to court [some people] will go and free them and the hoodlums will find their way back to the streets. That fateful day, I was in company of two other men including my little child in the car. I thank God that I was not injured too badly. So I drove myself to the hospital. I am still receiving treatment at home.
“My advice to people is that they should be wary of the bridges because from the look of things all of them are not safe. They should avoid the bridges at night. They made away with my phones, laptop and other valuables.”
Investigation by Abuja Review also shows that some girls have been raped in that area when they appeared unwilling to let go off their valuables. But almost always the targets of the hoodlums are mobile phones and wristwatches. One could imagine that Abuja, being the seat of power, is well policed to prevent crimes, but that is not the case at present. The city, like many other cities in the country, has its black places. Do not drive to some places in the FCT with your car window glass wound down even if the car is not air conditioned. The places include the junction linking NNPC Towers in Central Area, National Mosque and Zone Four.
Investigations showed that many women motorists have lost their handbags and other valuables to common thieves and hoodlums there. Many policemen out on night duty, many residents alleged, disappear from their duty posts any time after 10pm, making it easy for hoodlums to operate. Indeed, the policemen come out later, but they hardly meet emergency situations. If Abuja can be prone to insecurity on the bridges, especially at night, what then happens to other cities in the country? It is compelling to build bridges with electricity components, such that the streetlights would be on throughout the night to curb the activities of hoodlums.
A resident who spoke to Abuja Review, Abdul Musa said he has been robbed twice on the dark pedestrian bridge close to Area 3 Junction, adding, “On that fateful evening when I closed from work, I rushed to Area 3 to board a bus to Nyanya but due to the volume of cars that ply that expressway I decided to use the pedestrian bridge, but as I climbed the bridge in that dark hour, I saw some young men positioned on top of the bridge. They beckoned on me to come close and cooperate with them.
“When I got there, they quietly cornered me one side and dispossessed me of my handbag containing my phone, N40,000, debit cards, identity card and my international passport. It looked like a drama to me, until a few minutes later when it dawned on me that the whole game was real.”
Abuja Review investigation revealed that the aforementioned cases are just few out of the many being recorded everyday across the Abuja metropolis and other satellite towns. The investigation also revealed that personal belongings of the residents of the Abuja worth millions of Naira are lost on a daily basis on the account of the actions of these people.
Worried by the level of losses, the victims requested that the police and other security officials be positioned at these dark pedestrian bridges at night to guarantee the security of the pedestrians. They also advised that hawkers who occasionally occupy the bridges be sent packing.
Abuja Review spoke with the Acting Secretary Transport Secretariat, Alhaji Abdulhamid Suleiman who said efforts were being made to convert all traffic light signals to solar power.
Suleiman said government efforts are being thwarted by the vandals and hit-and-run drivers.
He said, “We are not resting on our oars. We are collaborating with all relevant law enforcement agencies to track down these criminals and bring them to justice.”
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Anjuguri Manzah, in a telephone conversation with Abuja Review, said the police are always on the trail of the hoodlums and have not been resting on their oars in bringing them to justice on a daily basis when they are caught.
Manzah said the police are always on patrol even without information from anybody, adding that it is not true that they let the hoodlums go after interrogation.
He advised car owners to be curious while on the road and always wind up and lock their vehicles either in or out of the car.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammad Bello recently at a public function advised Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to properly install streetlights at strategic points in Abuja.
