…VICTIM NARRATES CHILLING STORY OF ESCAPE
By Okosun Dennis
A luxury bus from Enugu to Lagos with about 80 passengers has been robbed by armed robbers dressed like Fulani Herdsmen at Ijebu Ode about 03:25 am Wednesday, August 4, 2021.
It was learnt that the majority of the passengers were kidnapped after robbing them of their belongings which included laptops, phones, money, and other valuables.
A victim, a Civil Engineer by profession who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that they were attacked at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state after the driver of the luxury bus belonging to Madison Motors had slowed down when he saw a truck he thought had broken down.
“Unknown to him that the truck was used as a decoy to deceive motorists to slow down. Suddenly, about 20 people emerged from the bush, brandishing sophisticated guns and cutlasses, and commanded everybody to come down.
“Those criminals were professionals. They meticulously searched us one after the other collecting money, phones, and every valuables from the passengers.
“As the operation was going on, they were shooting into the air intermittently. As soon as they were done with you, you are led into a narrow bush path to an unknown destination.
“We had trekked for about 30 minutes in the dark bush when I suddenly realised that we were been kidnapped. I summoned courage and zoomed off into the other side of the bush.
“Two of them ran after me saying Kai! Kai!! but I was able to give them sufficient gap. As I ran, I fell and hit myself against trees as I couldn’t see. My encouragement was the consciousness that I was escaping from the worst that might come if kidnapped.
“I thank God they didn’t shoot me. I might have been dead now. Despite carrying my laptop, phone, cash and other belongings, I thank God I am alive to narrate the story. Escaping was the least thing I thought about as we were been led into the narrow path.
“Since my phone was taken, I couldn’t immediately reach out to my bank to block my account. I begged people to use their phone to call that I was robbed, no one obliged me. Before I could get across to the bank, they had withdrawn N100,000 from my account. How they did it without my pin number is still a mystery.
“What amazed me the most was how the driver of the bus escaped immediately they blocked us. It took almost an hour before the driver came out from the bush. Every other vehicle that followed us behind was robbed as our bus had already blocked the road,” he narrated.
He further explained that throughout the time the operation lasted, there were no form of police patrol along that axis hence they operated calmly and meticulously without being in a hurry, adding that the only person they didn’t rob in the vehicle was a nursing mother.
“The only person that was not robbed was a nursing mother who had a little baby with her. As at the time the attack happened, she was breastfeeding the baby.
“Out of the about 80 people in the bus, only five of us left the scene with the driver to Lagos as others were led into the bush. My joy is that I am alive. It is painful I lost my laptop which I used for Engineering drawings but staying alive is more precious.
“When I also thought about the torture I would have, probably, be subjected to in their captivity, I had no choice than to thank God for giving me the boldness and legs to run from the criminals.
Asked why he had to take the night bus despite the insecurity and sundry attacks from citizens and what made him believe the robbers were Fulanis, he was quick to explain his reasons.
“I have been taking night bus most times. I have a job to supervise in the East hence I rushed to do that and come back to Lagos to continue with an ongoing project.
“The inclination of being attacked by criminals was the least thing I thought about. It was an unfortunate encounter as I was mercilessly beaten by the robbers.
“They were dressed like Fulani’s and tie their faces. Also, they spoke their language and confidentially call each other’s name. They were bold as they called: Abubakar and others. In fact, it was really a dark night experience,” he reiterated.
Attempts to reach the Ogun state Police Command spokesperson, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi to ascertain whether the reports of the robbery incident was reported with a view to organising a search for the victims, was unsuccessful as he didn’t respond to the call and the message sent to his phone on WhatsApp was read but not replied.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/how-we-were-robbed-by-robbers-dressed-like-fulani-herdsmen-at-ijebu-ode/
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