8th November, 2010
By Simon Ateba & Paul Iyoghojie
Armed robbers at the weekend, snatched about N3 million from a businessman and shot him three times in both legs and body, witnesses said.
The two-man gang was operating on an unregistered motorcycle, it was learnt.
During the incident which happened on Acme Road, Ogba, Lagos State, South-West Nigeria, P.M.NEWS gathered that the motorcyclist, also known as Okada rider, who drove the businessman to his destination, was also shot in his left leg.
The robbers then escaped with the bag containing the money on their motorbike, witnesses said.
An eyewitness’ account has it that the victim, simply identified as S.K, a resident of Akute, Ogun State, South-West Nigeria, had dropped off the motorbike and was paying the okada rider when the robbers suddenly emerged from nowhere and parked beside him.
One of them jumped down the motorbike, walked to the victim, snatched the bag containing the money, then shot the victim on both legs and body three times.
Thereafter, the robbers shot into the air sporadically to scare people away before they escaped.
It was believed that the robbers trailed the victim from the bank where he withdrew the money to Acme road before they attacked him.
The businessman was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital for treatment. The okada rider was also assisted by his colleagues who took him to a hospital.
Another gang, armed with AK47 rifles, raided several houses in Ketu area of Kosofe local government last night and carted away undisclosed sums of money.
Witnesses said that the robbers stormed the house located on Demurin Street at about 2 o’clock and shot sporadically while the operation lasted.
They gained access into apartments downstairs and went from room to room, torturing occupants and dispossessing them of their money, shooting mercilessly. The robbery lasted about an hour, witnesses said.
Armed robbers visited the same compound Wednesday last week and carted away about N500, 000 from an electronic shop, it was learnt.
Last week’s robbery operation took place at about 9 p.m. and lasted only a few minutes. Passersby in the busy area did not realise that the shop was being robbed, witnesses said.
One man was shot in the arm as he tried to run from the robbers after he sighted them from a distance. He is still being treated at an undisclosed hospital, our correspondent learnt.
Last night, as robbers battered parents to give them more money, children wept profusely, a witness said.
P.M.NEWS learnt that not far from where the robbery took place yesterday, other houses have been raided in recent days. Several people have been shot and no robber has been arrested.
Robbers were not challenged by the police. There is a police station not far from where the robbery took place.
In Festac area, a journalist with TheNews magazine was recently robbed by armed men.
The robbers took away cash, blackberry phone and proceeds from sales by traders around the scene of the robbery.