Fear has gripped residents of Benin City, the Edo State capital, following an increase in the rate of armed robbery attacks perpetrated by suspected hoodlums operating in Audi cars and pretending to be commercial cab operators.
The suspected bandits have in the past three weeks raided different locations, including major roads, streets and residential buildings in the state capital, where they dispossessed unsuspecting victims of cash and other valuables.
Our correspondent’s investigations revealed that the mode of operations of some of the robbers included carrying out raids in the early hours of the day, when commuters are either hurrying to work or at market places; and in the evening hours of the day, when the presence of policemen on night patrols are non-existent, especially within remote and lonely areas.
Findings also showed that targets of the robbery attacks were mainly those travelling on busy roads, those in beer parlours or drinking spots and vulnerable passengers, who boarded cabs in which the suspects numbering either three or four, including ladies who are often sandwiched in-between them to deceive unsuspecting passengers who board the vehicles.
Before the Easter celebrations, the state Correspondent of Leadership newspapers, Mr. Patrick Ochoga, was dispossessed of about N50, 000 by a four-man gang, including a lady at the back seat, along Airport road, Benin, while taking his son to school in the early hours of the day.
On Friday last week, masked men in a Camry car stormed a drinking spot located on Owina road, off Ekenwan road, and ordered everybody to lie face down and collected their belongings, including cash and mobile phones.
Barely 48 hours after the Owina attack, residents of Trade Fair road area in Benin City were forced to remain indoors for hours on Sunday night as dare devil bandits raided the people without being challenge by anyone, even as fun seekers, who were on their way back home, scampered to safety as guns boomed within the areas.
There has been presence of policemen on stop-and-search operations and those on motorised patrol in parts of the capital town.
