Ikotun residents in fears as robbers invade Governor Road, attack POS operators, others at daylight.
Ikotun residents in fears as robbers invade Governor Road, attack POS operators, others at daylight.
Residents of Ikotun, a suburb of Lagos State under Alimosho Local Government Area have continued to live in palpable fear over the increasing spate broad daylight attacks and robberies by armed gangs on innocent citizens in the area.
The trend which begun sometimes in October 2023, has continued unhindered leading to loss of lives and properties.
Most of the attacks and robbery cases were recorded along surrounding streets along Governors Road – Lanre Bus Stop, Odo Eran, White House Bus Stop, among others.
Most of the targets by the robbers include -POS operators, Okada riders, Boutique owners, Liquor stores.
The fear of the incessant attacks have led to some shops being under locks and jets.
Our correspondent gathered that the heavily armed robbers who come in numbers, usually carry out their operations between 12noon and 4pm.
Eye witnesses said they unleash mayhem on ill fated passersby or those within their business premises.
The latest attack which occured on Sunday 5th of November, 2023 at Odo Eran area of Governor Road in Ikotun at about 12:30 noon, saw a number of young men wielding guns and dangerous weapons while shooting sporadically into the air and also moving from street to street in search of preys.
POS operators and several other market traders including motorcycle operators, commuters, and worshippers were attacked with valuable items carted away by the assailants.
A cross section of residents who spoke on the ugly trends expressed frustration and anxiety over the increasing robbery cases within the community.
They lamented that the incessant robbery attacks on citizens have been alarming calling on the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to deploy more security personnel to the area in curbing daylight robbery attacks on citizens.
Accordion to them, insecurity is fast becoming a norm within the affected communities of Ikotun, saying that Police personnel has failed to respond swiftly to security issues.
They decried the poor security architecture of Ikotun and its environs – maintaining that the situation if not properly curtailed would result to massive insecurity
Eyewitness account recorded that an elderly man whose motorbike was intercepted by the criminals, lamented that” My okada was collected from me in the broad day light and am confused because this bike is under hire purchase.
“Am yet to complete the payment of the motorcycle. My life is doomed, I pray God help me out of this predicament,” he cried out.
A resident of the community name withheld lamented that the issue of insecurity within the community is relatively high calling the police to up the ante to curb the rising trends of robbery within Governor Road and surrounding environment.
As at the time of filing this report, the text message sent to the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, was yet to be acknowledged or responded to.
