Lockdown jitters as hoodlums terrorise Plateau residents

Since the COVID-19 lockdown began in Plateau State, residents in various local governments have reported an increase in crimes, gang fights and drug use among youths, as our correspondent reports. Sanusi Ahmad, 35, will never forget his encounter with a gang of thieves on the 4th day of the lockdown in Plateau State. “I was […]

Since the COVID-19 lockdown began in Plateau State, residents in various local governments have reported an increase in crimes, gang fights and drug use among youths, as our correspondent reports.

Sanusi Ahmad, 35, will never forget his encounter with a gang of thieves on the 4th day of the lockdown in Plateau State.

“I was coming back from my family house at about 8pm,” Sanusi recounted. “I just thought that people could move short distances within their communities. But all of a sudden, two young men stopped me and asked where I was heading to.”

He had at first thought they were members of a local vigilante helping to enforce the lockdown but the two men jumped him, grabbing his clothes.

“[They] collected my phone and all other belongings and ran away. My clothe was completely torn in the process because we struggled. I shouted for help but nobody showed up,” Sanusi said.

Across Plateau State, quieter streets have not meant safer streets as Sanusi found out firsthand. Many others who have fallen victims of increasing crimes in Plateau State since the lockdown was announced, learned this the hard way as they told Daily Trust.

On April 9, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, in an effort to tackle the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, imposed a total lockdown on the state.

Daily Trust reports that many shops, business places and vehicles have been burgled by criminals taking advantage of the lockdown to commit these crimes.

Our reporter also observed spikes in kidnappings, gang wars, robbery, smoking Indian hemp, and gambling among youth in various communities.

In a state-wide broadcast, Governor Lalong, said the lockdown is a common step suggested by health experts to curb the spread of the virus which has killed thousands of people across the globe, including over a hundred in Nigeria.

The order was supposed to halt all movements in the states except for security personnel and persons on essential duties. But shortly after the announcement, criminals have taken advantage of the situation to commit their crimes.

On April 25, a group of gunmen kidnapped the district head of  Pankwal Bogghom, Alh Shehu Sulaiman, in Kanam LGA, which shares boundaries with Wase LGA, where earlier, on April 22, , gunmen had stormed the residence of the district head of Bashar, Alh. Ali Adamu Idris and abducted his wife and a driver.

“They arrived Bashar and started shooting sporadically and succeeded in kidnapping my wife and driver,” the district head said.

Other criminals have taken on the guise of enforcement agents to rob people like Ahmad Aliyu Galadima at Angwan Rogo area of Jos.

“On my arrival at Jos from Kano, at about 12pm of the second day of the lockdown, I was stopped by three young men who at first pretended to be vigilantes that help to enforce the  lockdown only for me to realize that they were armed robbers,” Galadima, a driver, said.

“The robbers went away with jewelleries, clothes and other valuables worth N400, 000 that my customers ordered from Kano. During that night, we escaped unhurt and reported the case to the Anguwan Rogo Divisional Police Headquarters for investigation,” he said.

In Bokkos town of Bokkos Local Government Area, Daily Trust gathered that shops at the Bokkos Market were burgled by thieves who stole properties worth millions of naira.

“They stole many bags of fertilizer, farming equipment and other valuables. We thought that during this period, nobody including criminals would be seen around since security personnel are expected to be everywhere,” Ahmadu Maye told Daily Trust.

A phone shop was burgled in Yelwa town of Shendam LGA where the thieves made away with phones, money and other valuables.

Residents of many communities have also reported an increase in theft and gambling among youths, especially in Nukpis community of Jos North.

“A woman left her room to fetch water at a nearby borehole, but came back and realized that someone had entered her room and stolen her phone and N4, 000,” Azi Aware, a resident of Nukpis, told Daily Trust.

“That is why religious leaders in churches have been warning people to be conscious of their movement in their areas because hoodlums might use the opportunity of the period to steal,” Azi said.

He said closures of markets and other places have resulted in idleness among youths and so many of them have taken to gambling, which he said is on the rise in Nukpis.

Musa Sale, a youth leader, said he had observed increasing consumption of Indian hemp in some communities.

“Prior to the shutdown period for example, I used to see just one or two young boys smoking Indian hemp behind my house but since the commencement of the lockdown, you see groups of 10 to 15 young boys smoking Indian hemp,” he said.

Gang wars and streets fights have also been reported in certain communities during the lockdown, with gang members brandishing long knives, cutlasses and other weapons in such fights.

However, Plateau State Police command spokesman, ASP Ubah Gabriel, insists that despite the reported cases of criminal activities as gathered by this paper, crime rates have fallen during lockdown in the state.

“Under lockdown, the rate of crime especially culpable homicide has declined. We have just few cases compared to before,” he said.

However, in a good number of places in the state, efforts of the police and local vigilantes have seen improved security in those areas.

Sadly, it would seem, the criminals know their ways around.