By Idris Ibrahim
More parts of Abuja metropolis are gradually turning into an enclave where hoodlums attack and rob residents at night, NewsDiaryonline findings have shown.
Despite being rated as one of the fastest growing city in the world, crimes perpetrated by these hoodlums in Nigeria’s capital city has become monumental in some strategic location across the metropolitan area.
With its high population comes high crime rates. There have been reports of alleged stealing, snatching of valuable belongings and even stabbing of residents mostly at night.
According to the 2006 census, the city of Abuja had a population of 776,298, making it one of the ten most populous cities in Nigeria.
Also, according to the United Nations, Abuja grew at the rate of 139.7% between 2000 and 2010.
By 2015, the city was experiencing an annual growth rate of at least 35 percent which makes it the fastest growing city in the world.
Newsdiaryonline gathered that the perpetrators who specialise in robbing both motorists, commuters and pedestrians at night use the advantage of areas that have collapsed lighting infrastructure and dearth of security operatives.
Abuja has the second crimes rate in Nigeria after Lagos State, according to official figures from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics NBS.
The NBS report released in 2017 revealed that of the 13,181 cases in the FCT, there were 9,350 cases of “offenses against property.”
These include stealing, robbery, burglary, house breaking, receiving stolen property and obtaining property by false pretense.
An investigation by this newspaper unveiled five dangerous spots where hoodlums terrorise Abuja residents at night and early hours of daybreak.
- Wuse Market
Wuse market is located at Wuse District in the northwestern part of Abuja metropolis. The market, is the city’s principal market located at Zone 5. With Maitama District to its north and the Central District to its south.
Residents say there have been reccurring cases of theft in and around the market ranging from snatching of bags, phones, laptops and other valuables at night.
Traders, commuters and taxi drivers confirmed to our reporter that these monstrous crimes occur mostly at night and are carried out by hoodlums who sometimes parade themselves as traders, cab-operators and even taxi drivers.
Sunday Micah, a taxi driver told Newsdiaryonline that Wuse Market junction is slowly turning to Sodom and Gomorrah and its being neglected by the appropriate authorities.
“There have been several reports of robbery along this road. The most recent was last week when a lady’s bag was snatched from her at night. At first, it was just snatching of phones and bags but lately, robbers threaten their victims’ with knives and even guns,” he said.
“What they do is that they pose as traders, even taxi drivers and even passengers to lure their victims before attacking them”, he added.
Two other witnesses, Buchi Ezeh, a trader and Alonso Paul, confirmed Mr. Sunday’s story as they said stealing is on the increase despite the proximity of police stations and police posts to the market and its environs.
All efforts to speak to the officer-in-charge at the Wuse Police Station as well as the D.P.O of the Zone 3 Police Station were unsuccessful as they vehemently declined to grant our reporter audience.
- Bolingo Junction
Bolingo Hotel and Towers is located at Independence Avenue, Phase 2, Abuja.
There have been reported cases of attacks by hoodlums ranging from bag snatching, phone theft and car vandalism at Bolingo junction linking Olusegun Obasanjo way and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Newsdiaryonline gathered that hoodlums around the vicinity leverage on the advantage of speed breaker and traffic light to rob motorist and commuters at night predominantly residents plying airport road.
A traffic warden who operates at the junction told our reporter that snatching of bags and stealing of phones occurs at the spot on a daily basis.
The steward who does not want his name to be mentioned said there is urgent need to have a police check point. And also government should ensure that the bush that covers the tunnel the hoodlums uses as escape route after robbing there victims should be cleared.
“There should be a permanent check point here, there is a path from Bolingo junction to Church gate where the criminals uses to escape. At times you find it difficult to chase them down to the bush,” he said.
Newsdiaryonline gathered that the perpetrators use a bush path beside Bolingo fence as escape route anytime they carry out their heinous act.
- Masalachi Junction
The junction linking National Mosque, Samuel Ademulegun Avenue off Herbert Macaulay way, Central Business District.
Despite its proximity to the Presidential villa and the country’s Three Arms Zones, there have been several reports of alleged snatching of ladies bags at the spot by hoodlums at night.
A traffic warden identified as Sunday Bawa stationed at the Masalachi junction, said hoodlums target mostly ladies, adding that police have made several arrest at the spot.
“They target women with bags. They usually operate at about 8:30 and 9:00pm. After robbing their victims, they use the bush path as an escape road, and most times, they are bare-chested. They also rob victims in group,” he said.
“Though there have been no reported murder case and many of them have been arrested by security operatives and charged to court,” Mr. Bawa added.
Confirming the curator’s assertions, our reporter learnt that the hoodlums use a swampy banana plantation underneath the bridge linking Central Area at the intersection to escape after robbing their victims within the vicinity.
- Dantata Bridge
The bridge is located along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport road linking Galadimawa roundabout along Lokogoma express way, Duboyi District.
The hoodlums that trade at this deserted spot at night, usually rob their victims both top and under the bridge ranging from bag snatching and forcible snatching of valuables at times stabbing there victims if they failed to cooperate.
Investigation shows that the lawbreakers use the advantage of cashew plantation and tick vegetation around the road as escape route.
Residents living around the environs said there have been incessant cases of robbery around Dantata Bridge at night.
A resident living at Galadima, a suburb identified as Michael told this newspaper how his younger brother lost his left eye at the spot and countless times he saw helpless ladies crying for help after they were robbed by hoodlums.
“My brother came back from journey he got to Dantata bridge at about 10:00PM at night when he crossed the road on getting down from the bridge, he was approached by two men everywhere was dark the street light installation was not working at that point”.
“They eventually tried to snatch his travelling bag from him but he resisted the attempt. (In the process) one of the hooligans stabbed him in his eye that was how they succeeded in robbing him and left one of his eyes damaged,” he said.
“Also I have assisted several number of girls that were stranded at this particular spot at night”he said.
A visit by this newspaper to Galadima Police out-post revealed that there have been reported cases of bag snatching and stealing of valuables from residents predominantly pedestrians at night.
Police officer on duty at the outpost who preferred anonymity, told this newspaper that the outpost received at least minimum of 15 complaints of robbery cases at the aforementioned bridge monthly.
“In fact, a lady came here last night to lodge a complaint around 7:00PM. She was standing looking for a bike to convey her to Galadima roundabout according to the young lady, she was waiting under the bridge around pass 6:00PM in the evening. She hung her bag, while waiting for a bike before she could blink, her bag was snatched away by hoodlums”.
“Immediately they escaped through the cashew plantation at the spot. She was the only person and she is a woman, she had to run down to the police station. When she came, she met me, my sergeant was sick at that time he was not in the office”.
“So, I mobilized a police man that I know at the roundabout with two other boys that they should assist her to enter inside the cashew plantation maybe the hoodlums might have dumped the bag there after removing valuable items,” the officer said.
“Actually they entered, they assisted her, they went into the plantation they searched all over. The bag was not found.She came back.I asked her what are the items she mentioned the items which I recorded inside our crime diary and issueD police extract to the victim so that it can assist her when she goes to court for affidavit”.
“Like Dantata bridge most of the robberies occur around 9-10:00pm. Most victims usually file in their report in the morning to report the robbery.
“As we speak now we have received over 15 reported case of bag snatching along Dantata Bridge”.
“Though we have not made any arrest yet due to late lodging of complaint by victims. But, if the victims usually come immediately when the crime is being carried out, we the police know what to do,” the officer added.
- Area 1 Roundabout
Area 1 is located at Garki District in the south-west corner of Abuja, having the Central District to the north and the Asokoro District to the east. Area 1 junction linking Wuse, Apo and Durumi is one of the most popular bus stops in the city.
Despite its proximity to the Nigerian Police Mobile Force headquarters, there have been several reports of robbery. Some residents who spoke to this newspaper said the Area one Roundabout, particularly under the bridge, is always dangerous late evenings and at early morning hours.
They said the hoodlums who attack victims at Area 1 use the Abuja Urban Mass Transit Park in the area as their hideout.
A resident who gave his name simply as Abraham said he was attacked while he was waiting for vehicle.
“I was at the junction waiting for vehicle going towards Maraba/Nnanya axis before I could realise two guys approached me, both armed with knives and ordered me to quietly hand over my phone and wallet,” he said.
FCT Command Reacts
The FCT police command spokesperson, Manzah Anjuguri told our reporter that all efforts are put in place to provide adequate security for residents so that they can go about their day-to-day businesses and activities without the need for fear of apprehension.
“The command has on its own deployed its personnel to strategic points and this deployment has being a huge success. We’ve made series of arrest at some of these points and I can tell you that, at some of these points, residents are going about their lawful businesses freely”.
“Not only have we made arrests, we’ve also had prosecution of cases. Another issue to look at is that, if there are complaints, the people should report to the Police,” he said.
He added that security is a thing of collective responsibility stressing that most residents need to cooperate with the police to curb the menace.
“The residents must work together with the police. The Police cannot do it without the cooperation of the residents and the only way to do it effectively is, if they have identified any spot, they should report to the police”.
“I can tell you that, the areas that we have identified on our own part based on one or two reports we’ve received, we’ve beefed up security at those points”.
“The Command has taken the bull by the horns and had gone and has gone headlong against these hoodlums and not only do we arrest them, we arrest and prosecute and some of them are presently serving various jail terms”.
Abuja police also appealed to the residents to also lodge report to the police in areas the crime persist.
“I want to assure the residents of FCT that the command is committed to their safety and I also want to ask members of the public to partner with us and always reach out to us as soon as they observe any suspicious movement around their vicinity”.
“Residents should also practice safety measures like winding up their windows and if possible, apply central lock so no one can reach inside the vehicle”.
