NASARAWA, NIGERIA - Armed Robbery in Karu local government area of Nasarawa State has taken a new turn as some residents receive warning from robbers to relocate or risk being killed. Some have been visited several times in the last six months. AGBO-PAUL AUGUSTINE visited one of the affected communities and reports.
"They are so powerful that the police are even scared to venture into the environment to quash their terror on us. The boys operate with ease, rob at will and even determine who stays in the area and who is an undesirable element," said a terrified 32-year-old Rose Uchenna who has been robbed thrice in the last six months.
Koroduma community popularly known as 'One Man Village' is located on the Abuja-Keffi highway in Nasarawa State, about 15km from Abuja city. It is a densely populated settlement and notorious for crimes as criminals and hoodlums operate freely.
Most of the residents live in fear as sleeping at night has become more of a dreaded necessity than actual rest. The gang of robbers who terrorise the people, according to residents who spoke with LEADERSHIP Weekend, have good knowledge of most homes in the area.
Sources said they even have information of newly acquired purchases of valuables by residents, also those who secure a new job, who made good sales in business and so forth. They are fully abreast with the daily businesses in the area and rob any household they feel has something to offer.
This dare-devil gangs raid shops, stores and homes leaving in their trail, tears and sorrow. The residents live in perpetual fear. A victim of a recent attack, Mary Agada told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the hoodlums attack even those leaving for work in the early hours and those returning late. "They target many ladies in the night and early in the morning, snatching whatever they like and even raping some in some instances," she said.
When LEADERSHIP Weekend visited Conkoro Street after a recent robbery attack victims cried for help as they narrate their ordeal.
During this attack, a compound full of small business people who barely make a living out of their trade was their target, LEADERSHIP Weekend learnt as firewood sellers, hair stylists, salespersons and small traders were robbed and dispossessed of their belongings.
Victims said, in 2015 alone, dare devil robbers visited three times and in their recent attack, they didn’t just rob but came with a vacation notice to some of the residents. "You people are undesirable elements in our midst, so leave," was the message from the robbers.
A victim, who simply gave her name as Rose told LEADERSHIP Weekend that she was told to vacate the area by the robbers who promised to visit again and threatened to shoot her dead if she refused to move out.
"After collecting my phones, money and that of my sister, one of them told me that my time is up in the area and I should leave as I am an undesirable element in the community. I am very scared and preparing to relocate immediately," Rose said.
Another victim of the attack, Silas Achadu, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that after three attacks in six months, his sisters have fled the area as they are also on the warning list as 'undesirables'.
"It is very unusual to be robbed in one house three times in six months. This people want to kill us and the message is very clear, ‘relocate or you die.’ The residents of this area are helpless," Achadu lamented.
Other residents who spoke with LEADERSHIP Weekend wondered why hoodlums would determine who stays in a community that belongs to all. They decried the activities of the group, stating that their activities constitute a grave danger to life and property in the neighbourhood.
They equally called on the government of Nasarawa State to come to their aid to avoid further destruction of property.
Findings by LEADERSHIP Weekend revealed that most of the attacks on residents have been largely unreported owing to fear of further targets by the hoodlum, who carefully select their targets.
When LEADERSHIP Weekend visited the Mai Koroduma Palace, Alhaji Ahmadu Bako admitted the prevalence of robbery incidents in his domain but was not aware that some residents have been handpicked and asked to vacate the community by robbers.
Bako, who was not happy with the victims who have not reported the incidences to the palace for action, noted that the palace have been working with the police to combat the wave of robberies in the community.
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer in New Nyanya, Karu, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the division is handicapped with lack of operational vehicles. She said the division is still trying to source for fund to fix a damaged patrol van after a recent gun duel with robbers where two of her men were injured.
She however blamed the residents for not coming to the police to complain after being attacked in the past.
The crime wave in Karu local government in recent times is getting many residents scared as a day hardly passes without a robbery incident. LEADERSHIP Weekend was told that taxis are often used at nights especially from 10pm to rob unsuspecting passengers returning from work. Popularly known as one chance, criminals who disguised as passengers often dispossess innocent people of their belongings.
Ladies are now scared of standing alone on the Abuja-Keffi highway at night as many have been victims of mostly robbers on motorcycles.
Residents urge the various security agencies to step up surveillance and intelligence gathering to reduce the incessant robberies in the area.
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