By Toni Ufoh
Suspected armed robbers who specialise in stealing motorcycles were said to have invaded a community in the Akowonjo Local Government Area of Lagos State, leaving behind tales of woes.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the armed men invaded Vincent Street in the area around 3am last Wednesday, shattering the peace being experienced in the area.
Some residents of the area told our correspondent that the armed men were conveyed to the area in a Sienna car, one minibus and one tricycle.
Our correspondent gathered that a yet-to-be-identified commercial motorcyclist who resisted the move by the armed men to go away with his motorcycle, which he recently bought through hire purchase ,was inflicted with machete cuts.
He was said to still be recuperating from the severe injuries he sustained during the incident.
Residents said the armed men first invaded an area where motorcyclists usually park their motorcycles overnight before they stormed neighbouring houses where they dispossessed residents of their phones, laptops and other valuables.
One of the motorcyclists in the area, Aminu Sadeeq, confirmed to our correspondent that the men took some motorcycles away when they struck on Wednesday night and that a colleague was attacked by the robbers with machetes.
He said, “They came with guns and machetes but they did not shoot. They took bikes away from our side here.
“One of the bike men in our midst was severely wounded when he went after them to retrieve his bike. He was attacked by the robbers with machetes.”
Another resident of Vincent Street who did not want his name in print also confirmed that the robbers went from house to house dispossessing residents of their valuables.
“I learnt that they dispossessed people of their cell phones and money. Police should please patrol our area at night. It is becoming dangerous for people to sleep because of armed robbers who have been coming here lately,” he said.
Another resident, who identified herself simply as Sola, told our correspondent that it was after the armed men left that policemen arrived at the scene and that the man who was injured was later rushed to a hospital.
“A police patrol convoy came around but before then, the robbers ran away when they saw the police vehicles. They were really after motorcycles but they seized the opportunity to collect phones, and laptops when they broke into people’s homes,” he said.
A member of the Olori Community Development Association, Alimosho where the incident happened who pleaded anonymity said that recently, armed robbers had been giving members of the community sleepless nights.
He also praised the Molashashi Police Station Divisional Police Officer, Kabiru Sulaimon, who he said led his men to the scene immediately after they received calls from the community.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident said the police recovered a Beretta 9mm, one iPhone and one itel phone from the scene of the robbery.
Hundeyin said, “Our men got a distress call on Thursday around 5am that armed robbers were operating at Vincent Street, Akowonjo and they went to the scene and on sighting the police, the robbers fled.
“Our men recovered a Beretta 9mm pistol, one iTel and iPhones from the scene of the robbery.
Hundeyin said, “Our men got a distress call on Thursday around 5am that armed robbers were operating at Vincent Street, Akowonjo and they went to the scene and on sighting the police, the robbers fled.
“Our men recovered a Beretta 9mm pistol, one iTel and iPhones from the scene of the robbery.
“A 25-year-old who was severely wounded with machete cuts was also taken to hospital by the police.
“The police also arrested one of the suspected robbers at Awoyaya Street with an iPhone and two Android phones on the same day.”
