Robbers raid homes, ask for ‘Christmas gifts’

If it were possible, men would hold back the hand of clock to enable them meet their targets before the curtain is finally drawn on the year 2009. And as usual, the twelve months in a year hardly make sense to people until time rolls into what is known as injury period in the soccer […]

If it were possible, men would hold back the hand of clock to enable them meet their targets before the curtain is finally drawn on the year 2009. And as usual, the twelve months in a year hardly make sense to people until time rolls into what is known as injury period in the soccer parlance. It is at this twilight of the year that individuals redouble efforts to either improve on their score card for the year or device new means of fresh acquisition to sign out on a ‘good’ note.

Consequently, both centrifugal and centripetal forces are at play, and it never matters where the pendulum swings to. Expectedly, the sons of Lucifer are up in arms tormenting and dispossessing their victims in and around the nation’s capital territory. The worst hit in the new act which appears like “operation mop up” for  Christmas, are satellite towns around Abuja where the majority of the work force, artisans and average traders live.

In the last few days, the distress tales by victims of this dastardly act have become ridiculously loud and the operations have taken cruel turn as these ‘bad boys’ move from compound to compound, room to room demanding from them ‘Christmas gifts’. But God help you if you do not have the ‘gift’ handy for the night visitors.

AGONISING EXPERIENCE OF ROBBERY VICTIMS

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of these merciless children of the beast, one Samuel Alfa of Mopol Quarters, Kabayi-Mararaba, told Sunday Trust that the psychological trauma of the robbery episode in his house would last a life time.

He said the robbers first raided his house at about 3:30 am on 22nd November, dispossesing him of his mobile phones, cash and other valuables at the point of a gun. All his pleas the tears of his wife and his child never helped the situation.

Alfa, a medical officer, who runs a chemist shop to augment his salary as a civil servant, said all the sales he made on that day and other cash in the house were taken by the robbers. The robbers according to him raided other tenants and came to his room while they were almost calling it a day.

“They could not open the door, they pulled open my window, and before I realized, a gun was right on my fore head and the gun man threatened to pour the bullets into my little head if I do not cooperate. I had to give them all I have for me and my family to live.”

More agonizing to Alfa and his family was the second coming of the robbers on December 149 where only his house was singled out for operation. This time, they came between 12 midnight and 1:00a.m. with a heavy bang on his window, followed with a command “Oga open the door we are back”  it was at this point that it became obvious to Alfa that it was the same people that robbed him earlier that came back.

“They banged the window harder and forced open the sliding glass and shook the burglary in an attempt to pull down the entire window to come in. They threatened to shoot me and my family members if we don’t bring out money and other valuables. We began to cry, my wife and I cried like babies for help but no one came out to help. After about an hour, they left, when we thought they had finally gone, they returned in a more businesslike. It was at this point that other neighbours started shouting in their houses and the robbers fled.

“That night I told myself that enough is enough; I must look for another house and pack out of that house. We suspended all Christmas plans, emptied our business and saving accounts to relocate to another area, because it was done on us that the robbers are on a mission.

THE SPREAD OF OPPERATION

At Aso, Akwu village, Tudun Wada, one man village, Jikwoyi, Nyanya, Ado, Masaka and other areas at the Nasarawa axis of Abuja, the people are united in similar plight at this season, except for the system and style robbers adopt to raid their victims.

Another victim at Aso Pada, Emeka Eze, told Sunday Trust that his compound was raided three times between November 10 and December 15 this year. He said the robbers came in like regular visitors at about 7 pm when most tenants were returning home. But before they could realize, they brought out guns and commanded everyone to surrender. They cleared all our money and valuables within 30 minutes.

THEIR MODE OF OPERATION

“The last time they came was on the 12th of December. This time they took advantage of the gate the security man we hired after the second attack opened for one of the tenants to come in with his car. Immediately he entered about 12 persons rushed in and began operation, taking our ‘maigard’ (security man) unaware.

“From room to room they raided all the tenants, and if they come in the first demand is “give us our Christmas gift or we take it ourselves”. Those who had money in the house gave them and they left but those who did not have money were beaten black and blue”. He said.

At Jinkwoyi, the robbers were reported to have raided homes as early as 6 am, making away with posh cars, cash, jewelries and other valuables. In a particular compound, they struggled with the security man. The robbers shot the security man repeatedly but the bullet could not pierce him, they used machete on him it neither cut him.

When it became obvious that the security man was putting up serious resistance, they dropped the gun and machete, using their bare hands to twist his neck, he gave up the fight and the robbers had an uninterrupted operation.

At Ado, one of the residents, Becky Akegh said robbery operation is now a daily affair. She said at about 6 am, robbers entered their neighbour’s compound, raided all the tenants and made away with cash and other valuables. According to her, the robbers use magic powers to infest the victims with sleep. She said one of the victims was even striped off his shirt in the course of the operation without his knowledge.

 Sunday Trust checks in these affected areas indicated that in most compounds, besides the tall fences, they now engage the services of local securities, particularly the Fulanis or Buzu as they are known in the local parlance. It is believed that they have advantage over other local security operatives because of the belief that they have magical powers to outwit the robbers.

NIGHT GUARD’s EXPERIENCE WITH ROBBERS

Sunday Trust engaged one of the local securities (Buzu) in a chat to know their experiences with the robbers at this season and what he said was so frightening but revealing. The guard by name Malam Aliyu, guards one of the houses around St Philips Street in Mararaba.

According to him, the robbers are boys within the neighbourhood and they know most of them. He said but when they want to operate, they change locations. Those within a particular locality would show their partners in crime from other environment specific targets within their own locality to operate and they would in turn move to the other side to operate.” It is more of an exchange thing, so even if you see them you will not know them”

He said the (Guards) also network to enable them get information, and that in the night, those of them operating in specific neighbourhood, cooperate with one another and communicate among themselves if there is any strange movement.

According to him, the robbers move in groups in the day, spotting their targets, and they know the security situation of specific areas and compounds. “Any where they have interest; they study it well before they operate. Sometimes they keep monitoring for days to see security lapses. When we see them gathering at a particular spot close to where we guard, we ask them to disperse and they will go” he said.

When asked on what they do to withstand the robbers, he beamed with smiles and said “Oga ka bari magana kowe” (meaning just leave the matter)

RESIDENTS FORM VIGILANCE GROUPS FOR SELF DEFENCE

As an interim measures, Sunday Trust gathered that residents of the various black spots now keep vigil at strategic locations every night, and they rotate vigilance operations. Those who could not do it pay others to keep watch over the vicinity.

WHAT POLICE SAY ABOUT THE FESTIVE CRIME

When Sunday Trust visited Mararaba and Nyanya police stations, the DPOs were not on seat for comments. But at Mararaba, a senior police officer in crime control office confided in our Reporter that from the reports, there was general rise in crime at the moment.

However, he said the case was not different from previous years, adding that the police have also intensified effort to stem it. “We have arrested many of them, some were even shot dead by our men on patrol, and we will continue with intensive and extensive patrols within this period.”