Aptly designated as the bustling capital of Lagos state, Ikeja is arguably the most notable commercial and technological hot spot in Lagos, but the city, with a population of nearly half a million people, is also a hotbed of crime.
This is particularly so because an area in Ikeja, known as “Ikeja Under Bridge”, is getting increasingly overwhelmed by the activities of pickpockets and petty thieves.
Compellingly, because Ikeja Under Bridge is in close proximity to Alausa, the seat of power in the state, Lagosians say that effectively securing the area should be a must for security agencies and has to be carried out in a manner that will dissuade criminals from perpetuating crimes or fomenting trouble. Strangely, however, the reverse is the case.
Although the construction of the Lagos Red Line rail project and the Ikeja Overpass bridge that links the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, which were both commissioned this year by Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu, have significantly increased the population of commuters, the police and other relevant law enforcement agencies are yet to up their security game to address new security challenges in Ikeja.
Moreover, with the vast Ikeja computer village, which is a phones and information technology sales hub, in the immediate vicinity of the Ikeja Under Bridge, all manner of people converge in the locality to carry out one business or the other, whether good or evil.
The current economic hardship in the country has not helped matters either. A great number of individuals stand aimlessly outside shops in and around the Computer village due to the staggering unemployment rate in the country and many of them swindle innocent customers who come to purchase phones, laptops or their accessories out of their hard-earned money.
These miscreants are also known to target non-customers going towards or coming from the Ikeja Under bridge.
A trader at the Computer village, Chisom John, told The Point, “The whole of Ikeja Under Bridge has really changed for the worse. Everywhere you look, there are bad boys lurking around, “monitoring” people going towards the new traffic light under the bridge.
“Sometimes, they make an assessment of people passing by based on their clothing. They look at you from head to toe. They also look at the pair of trousers you are wearing and if they notice anything in the shape of a phone, they will immediately be on your tail.
“If you are well-dressed and carrying a bag on your back, they will quietly unzip the pocket compartments and take any valuables their hands can reach. I have seen many men and women crying under the bridge because they were robbed.
“So, Lagosians must be extra careful when they are passing through this place. If they have valuable items in their pockets, let them clutch tightly at their pockets.”
A victim of pickpocketing at the Ikeja Under Bridge, Cynthia Itor, told The Point that she was robbed by “jobless individuals” loitering under the bridge, only that in her own case, she was in a car.
According to her, a gold chain she was wearing around her neck was snatched when she opened the window of the vehicle she was in because she wanted to get some fresh air.
Itor said the incident happened around 7:30pm on her way to Oregun.
“I was in my boyfriend’s car and we were coming from the Anifowoshe community en route to Oregun.
“The car air conditioning system was on but I told my boyfriend to switch it off so that I could roll the window down for some much-needed fresh air. This was around 7:30pm in March this year.
“After he switched off the car ac, I innocently wound the car window down and relaxed some more on the passenger seat in front.
“Immediately we got to Ikeja Under Bridge, there was a bit of traffic on Awolowo Way. That was when these jobless individuals loitering under the bridge struck.
“Out of nowhere, a young man walked briskly up to our car and like lightning snatched the gold chain that I wore and ran off. I could only scream.
“When the traffic started moving again, my boyfriend was shocked and motionless. His inaction prevented other motorists from moving and they began to shout at us to move out of the way.
“That was how we left the scene, my gold chain gone forever,” Itor narrated.
Another victim, Iheanacho Nna, said he came to Lagos to visit a relative in Ikeja when he was robbed.
According to him, while at his sister’s place, he decided to go to the popular Alatra Pharmacy on Oriyomi Street to purchase some medications but had his wallet stolen there.
Nna said, “I came to Lagos to visit my sister and while I was there, I took my wallet and went to Alatra Pharmacy to purchase some drugs because I was having malaria.
“Because the sun was not too hot, I decided to walk from Oba Akran Avenue to Oriyomi Street.
“Instinctively, when I got to the Ikeja Under Bridge, I noticed that a strange fellow was walking very close to me. On two occasions, I looked behind me to observe him but I did not suspect that he was a pickpocket. He dressed decently.
“I got to Alatra and this guy walked in, too. At first, I did not know he was there with me. When I did, I heard him requesting for drugs and I relaxed a bit.
“He moved close to me and asked if one of the salesgirls brought the drugs to him. Strangely, by the time they did, he had left.
“When it was time for me to pay for my own drugs, I searched my pockets for my wallet but it was gone and I raised the alarm. When I told other customers there all about the guy I suspected, they revealed to me that pickpockets usually tailed their victims to where they would rob them.
“I was at a loss but thank goodness that I only had my ATM card and N10, 000 cash in the wallet.”
Yet another victim, who did not want her name mentioned, said she had her phone yanked out of her hand while she was receiving a call inside a commercial bus near the Ikeja Overpass Bridge around 9pm.
Narrating how she eventually recovered the phone, she said it was the driver of the bus who got it back for her.
“I was on a bus going to Egbeda around 9pm one fateful night. A call came in and I received it.
“While I was still speaking, someone grabbed my phone and fled into the night.
“While I was screaming, the driver of the bus assured me that he would do his best to get my phone back for me the following day.
“I don’t know how he did it or where he went to, but the following day, I got the phone back. It was like a miracle,” she recounted.
When The Point reached out to the Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, the Superintendent of Police did not answer our calls. Rather, an automated message was generated to us.
“Sorry, I can’t take this call right now. For complaints about police action, call 08090277714, 08090277712, 08090277711, 08090277713, 09111111151, 09111991116, 09111111150. Or send a text,” the message said.
Text messages sent to Hundeyin were also not replied.
However, in an earlier interview with Hundeyin about robbers who devise new tricks to steal from Lagosians, the image-maker of the Police said, “DPOs are mandated to handle such reports within their jurisdictions.
“So, I would suggest that you advise those people who report to journalists to, in addition to that, also let the Police know (they were robbed). Because all of the reports are the things we collate and which help us to restrategise.
“But if people don’t report, we won’t know how to strategize or re-strategize.”
