By Ifeanyi Okolie

The recent invasion of Igboeri community in Okokomaiko, Lagos State by a gang of dreaded armed robbers, who raided a home, has sent shock waves across the area.

In fact, residents of the densely populated area now live in fear of being terrorized by the gang. They are also battling to unravel the mystery behind the ugly incident that befell one of their own, who lost a Nissan pathfinder jeep and other valuables to the men of the under world.

Time was 1:pm, on Sunday, 2 of October, 2011 when two heavily armed men stormed the home of one Mrs. Florence Francis at number 23, Oladipo Street, Igboeri, Okokomaiko. They reportedly ordered her to lie on the ground after which they ransacked her apartment, dispossessing her of every thing they could set their eyes on. It was like a movie, when the robbers dragged her into her bed room and demanded for all the cash in her house, mobile phones, jewelries, generator set and a laptop computer.

While narrating her ugly experience to Crime Alert, the victim stated; “I was sitting right in my sitting room when the armed robbers came in. The door wasn’t shut at the time they came in and they pointed a gun at my face. My children were there also and they ordered all of us to lie on the ground. Later, they took all our mobile phones and asked us not to shout or they will shoot. We were terrified while the operation was going on.

After a while, one of them asked me to get up and lead them to the bed room, where they took all my jewelries, N100, 000 cash and some clothing materials. As if that was not enough, they came back into the sitting room and took a Laptop and all other electronics in the living room.

IGP, Hafiz Ringim

They also went to the back of the house where we keep our generator set and carried it as well. The robbers were so meticulous in their search for my property and they were precise in their demands. At the end, they loaded all the items into a Nissan pathfinder jeep with registration No. HD 628 EKY, belonging to my husband and zoomed off.”

Following the raid at Mrs. Francis’ home which some residents described as ‘strange and shocking’ giving the quite and cozy nature of the area, palpable fear has gripped other residents of the area. Those that spoke with Crime Alert said they are now weary of strangers showing up in there area. A woman who runs a grocery store around the area told Crime Alert that she now keeps her gate closed and she attends to customers from the inside.

“We are now weary of strangers and are also keeping our eyes on who ever we are not familiar with. What happened to Mrs. Francis was shocking. I have been attending to customers from the inside and I lock the entrance to my shop with a burglary to prevent people from coming and no one in this area is taking it for a joke after the incident.

Following this development, detectives at the Anti-robber section, Okokomiko Police Station launched a hunt for the robbers. Police sources said they are focusing attention on one of the neighbors to the victim simply called Omo whom they suspect must be the brain behind the incident.

The source further said that a former driver to the victim who is a brother to the alleged prime suspect mysteriously showed up in the area before the robbery attack.

According to the source , “after surveying the compound, he returned three days later with two other men. When confronted, he told Mrs. Francis that he was looking for his brother and Mrs. Francis took it as nothing. But the next day, the two men who were also seen around the area after which the attack took place.

As a result of the development, the victim petitioned the commissioner of police alleging that their former driver and his friends must be held accountable for the attack in her home based on their surprise visits.

She further claimed that their constant visits and unwarranted questions when they came are pointers to the fact that they masterminded the robbery adding that all efforts should be made to bring them to pay for the crime they committed.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Samuel Jinadu, who spoke with Crime Alert on the issue said detectives are on the trail of the robbers assuring that the suspect they have now is in the cell because of the circumstances of the case. “He is the only person that can possibly lead us to other suspects for now”, he stated.