Lagos- Robbery in commercial buses popularly known as “One Chance” is fast returning to the major roads within the Lagos metropolis, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
But the Police say it is not relenting in its efforts to smash the crime and make movement by residents safe.
NAN reports that one chance robbery was carried out in commercial buses while the vehicle is in motion after unsuspecting commuters have boarded and hoping to reach their destination safely.
The victims are usually robbed of their valuables and pùshed out of the bus and in most cases severe in injuries are inflicted on them by the robbers.
NAN also reports that such robbery attacks occurred frequently on roads like Iyana-Iba, Igando, Ikotun, Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Ojo.
The drivers and their conductors are said to be behind the robberies which occured at anytime of the day but most often in the early hours of the morning andlate evenings.
Correspondents of NAN who went round the metropolis to interview some commuters on incidents reports that the menace had become an issue to worry about.
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The respondents called on the police to urgently intetvene.
A commuter, who preferred anonymity, said the menace was gradually becoming an everyday occurence in Lagos and appealed to the police to act fast.
“At a point, one chance robbery died down in the state, but unfortunately, the menace is on the rise again,” he said.
He implored the security agencies in the state to increase their surveillance on the roads.
Another commuter, Ibrahim Olajuwon, said that he had escaped the one chance robbery before.
According to him, he was in a commercial bus going to Badagry when the conductor and some others who pretended to be passengers in the bus started robbing them.
“I thank God I was sitting at the back seat and fortunately for me, the boot was not locked.
“Immediately I discovered this, I jumped out from the bus and took to my heels.
“The police should device a means to curtail the comeback of this type of robbery so that it won’t go rampant in the society again,” he said.
A resident of Igando area of Lagos, Bamidele Adeniyi, said that one chance robbery usually occured in the early hours of the day and late at nights.
“This is the reason why I make sure I look at the people in the bus before I board.
“I don’t just jump into a bus, I check it well and if my spirit does not board it, I wait for the arrival of another one.
“I have heard series of one chance attacks occurring along Iyana-Iba to Igando and I appeal to police authorities to intervene. I mean to wipe out the menace,” he said.
Jide Gbobaniyi, a businessman, told NAN that the menace was gradually becoming rampant and advised the police authorities to always be on the highway to curb the situation.
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Mr Biodun Olawale, also a businessman, urged the police not to relent in its efforts to wipe out one chance robbery in the society.
“Our police officers may have gone to sleep over this menace just because there were no rampant cases like before,’’ he added, urging the police to be active on the issue.
In a reaction, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kenneth Nwosu, said the police had not relented in its efforts to smash the act.
Nwosu reassured residents of Lagos State of the command’s commitment to smashing “one chance” and robbery generally.
“The incidences of one chance has drastically reduced but we are not relenting in smashing the act completely,” he said.
Nwosu added that suspects caught in the act were usually arrested and valuables were returned to the owners whenever people made reports.
“Last year we arrested a lot of suspects along Mile 2 and recovered some firearms, even the people that were robbed came back to claim their valuables.
“Along Ojo road, we have also been able to smash the act there, it used to be endemic on that corridor but right now the area is being made safe and we are building on that,” he said.
The PPRO also said that members of the public should not hesitate to make reports so that the police could act fast on it.
“The police is moving forward and we keep on smashing them wherever we find them.
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“We also encourage members of the public to bring to our notice, areas where they know these things happen.
“Now we have increased our surveillance teams to move round and ensure that all theses areas and the whole of Lagos State is cleared of this act,” he said.
Nwosu added that the command had not given up on making Lagos State crime-free and encouraged residents to always avail the police with credible intelligence report to work on. (NAN)