Robbers on motorcycles intensify attacks in Lagos

Posted by admin Lagos, State News Saturday, March 24th, 2012

March 24, 2012 by Ademola Olonilua 7 Comments

There appears to be a rise in the number of attacks being perpetrated by armed robbers operating on motorcycles in different parts of Lagos.

CRIME DIGEST investigations show that these criminals prefer to operate with motorcycles instead of cars as was the case in the past because of speed and the ease with which motorcycles meander through traffic snarls on major highways.

“It is difficult to use a car. That is why they (robbers) use motorcycles. It serves as an easy means to flee the robbery scene,” a top security source told our correspondent.

The source said that the motorcycles used by the robbers were usually stolen from legitimate commercial motorcycle operators.

Apart from the fact that motorcycles are easy to dispose of, robbers can easily abandon them after use or when they are being pursued by law enforcement agents.

Further investigations show that robbery operations carried out on motorcycles require two participants per motorcycle: the rider and his passenger.

Most of the time, the rider’s duty is to help the gang escape from the scene of the robbery after an operation. He must remain unmoved by whatever happens around him and concentrate on fleeing the scene.

The rider is expected to leave the engine of the motorcycle running for easy getaway. The passenger is usually the real armed robber. He is charged with dispossessing his victims of their money and valuables. Most times, this assailant is usually equipped with a gun. Both robbers plan carefully before choosing their victims.

CRIME DIGEST learnt that such robbers use certain criteria to pick their victims and first on their list of preferred targets are people using Toyota cars or other exotic cars. They believe that such people always keep valuable items in their cars.

The robbers often find easy targets in people who walk alone or in pairs at night. A grandmother who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, for fear of her life, recounted her ordeal in the hands of armed robbers operating on motorcycles.

The woman said the whole incident seemed like a clip from an action movie. What makes it even frightening is the fact that she was robbed during a traffic jam and in broad daylight.

She says, “I was coming from church on a Sunday around 2 pm. I was in my Toyota Sienna with a friend, my grandchildren, nanny and my driver, when I noticed we were being followed by three motorcycles. When we got to the round-about on Oba Akran Road, the motorcyclists suddenly blocked our path.

“Before we knew it, the passengers from two of the motorcycles came to us with double-barrelled guns. The passenger on the third motorcycle stayed on the road, ensuring that no one disturbed the operation.

“Then they ordered us to give them the entire valuables in my car. I parted with about N40,000 and our BlackBerry phones, among others. I had to ask my nanny to make sure she made the kids look downwards on the floor of the car.

“One of the robbers asked me to remove my necklace. Out of panic, I wanted to cut it off and hand it over to him. He immediately shouted that I should make sure I remove it properly so that it does not cut. He was insistent that I gave him the necklace in prime shape with its pendant or he was going to shoot me.”

Armed robbers on motorcycles, it was learnt, have conspired with other criminals, such as serial rapists and petty thieves to turn the area around the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road, from the Mobil petrol filling station down to the head office of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, to a point of rendezvous.

The area, which is lonely most of the time, has been identified as a black spot and a haven for these criminals.

A member of the National Youth Service Corps, whose name is Ayomide, told CRIME DIGEST how he was attacked by some robbers on a motorcycle at Fadeyi.

He said, “I was heading home from work at about 7 pm when my phone rang. Since there was traffic, I decided to pick the call. A few minutes later, a man on a motorcycle snatched the phone from my hand.

“I tried to get out of my car and chase him. Unknown to me, his accomplices were on another motorcycle on the other side of the car. While my phone was being snatched, another robber stuck his head into my car and removed my wallet.

“By the time I had noticed him, both of them had sped off in the motorcycle. All this happened right in full public view. Other people were watching. But nobody could help. All they did was express their sympathy with me in words.”

In his reaction to the rise of attacks by criminals on motorcycles, the Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, Mr. Joseph Jayieoba, told CRIME DIGEST that the police were aware of the situation and were with the state government to curb the menace.

He said, “The police and state government are working together to stop these boys. Lagos State has banned motorcycle operation in Ikeja. This is part of a bid to rid the state of these criminals.

“We are using the ban on Ikeja as an experimental stage. If we see it yielding positive results, we will replicate the policy in other parts of Lagos. The police are working round the clock to keep Lagos residents safe.”

“Sometimes these robbers could call your attention to your tyre; they would say it is leaking air. Ignore them or drive forward, far away from them before checking. They sometimes use hawkers.

“They could also hit your car mildly, once you come out of the car to inspect the level of damage they pounce on you. It is better to ignore such incidents,” he said.

Jaiyeoba listed a few steps that Lagosians should take to avoid falling victim to such criminals. He expressed the hope that the tips would in the long run help to reduce robbery incidents in the metropolis.

The PPRO said, “Users of ATM should be conscious of people around them when using the machine. Sometimes perpetrators of evil lurk around the machine waiting to pounce on their victims.

“It is better to avoid cash when making a large transactions. If you must, avoid collecting large sums of money at the counter. Sometimes, these thieves are in the banking hall, or they even use bank officials; we have seen cases like that. People should be careful before they divulge information, especially information involving money; most times informants are friends, family members or even loved ones.

“After business transactions in the bank, people should be conscious of the environment outside the banking hall. Avoid walking alone or in pair at night, especially in dark places. It is better to walk in a group. Be careful of not being tailed when heading home.”

-Sunwp_posts