Bloody sallah as robbers invade Bariga, Lagos

While the Eid-el-Fitri celebration was still thick in the air on Monday night, armed robbers struck on Popoola and Oreofero streets, Bariga, Lagos, and unleashed terror on some residents.

Reporters learnt that the robbers stormed the streets at about 2am, and left after about three hours of robbery and battering.

Despite the light rain in the area that time, residents said the robbers went up and down the street, smashing glasses of vehicles, and other property.

Our correspondent gathered that at least three residents were stabbed by the armed robbers, who were said to be large in number.

When our correspondent visited the area on Tuesday morning, a resident, who was also a victim, said his 25-year-old neighbor was stabbed in the head and back, but had been rushed to a private hospital in the area for treatment.

He said, “It was very serious. The robbers seemed to think that because of the Ramadan celebrations, security would be relaxed. They got to our house around 4am. Four of them entered the building, but we could hear the voices of several others outside. They threatened to kill whoever did not ‘cooperate’ with them. They stole money, phones, laptops and other valuables.

“They inflicted matchet cuts on residents. My neighbour, a 25-year-old man was injured on the head, and on the back. He was bleeding profusely when they left. We had to rush him to a private hospital to save his life.”

Another resident, who identified himself simply as Sulaiman, said the robbers also entered several shops, and burgled them, adding that they caught people unawares because of the Ramadan celebration.

He said, “I run a barbing salon and also deal in sound systems. I left my shop around 10pm, and went home. All through the night, we could not sleep as the robbers went from house to house. They did not touch some houses where they knew security was tight. They came to my house, but they did not get to my apartment.

“I thought I had escaped. But when I got to the salon in the morning, my two laptops, my phones and money were all gone. They forced their way in, and carted everything away.”

One of the residents claimed that the Pedro Police Division was informed while the robbery went on, but the police did not show up early to save the situation.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said some hoodlums had come to the area to steal a commercial bus, but they were eventually arrested by the police.

She said, “There was no robbery for hours in the area. What happened was that the Pedro Police Division received a distress call that some hoodlums in the area wanted to steal a commercial bus. The Anti-Robbery Squad of the division responded to the situation and arrested the hoodlums. They are presently in police custody.”