Residents of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have raised alarm over the menace of car theft and one-chance robbers that have become rampant in the city and urged the Police to rescue the situation.
Some of the residents, who spoke with journalists, yesterday in Abuja, lamented that their lives were in danger over the activities of bandits who steal cars and rob at gun point.
Mr Ayo Akogun, whose car a Toyota Camry was stolen while he was purchasing an item at a shop in FHA Lugbe, described the situation as “disturbing’’.
He said that car theft had become rampant in the FCT, adding that there had been a deluge of complaints at the FHA Police Station where he went to report the case of his stolen car.
“I quickly reported the case at the Lugbe Police Station, but I was shocked to meet some people with the same case of a stolen car at the station while some of them had already written their statements.
“I parked my car within the FHA Lugbe in front of the shop where I went to buy provisions at about 8p.m.
for my family and by the time I came out, I could not find my car,’’ he said.
Mrs Felicia Obafemi, another resident, said her car, also a Toyota Camry was stolen around 10:30 pm on October 4, 2018.
She said that she had to park the car close to a shop and went to pick certain items, but was jolted when she discovered the car was no longer where it was parked.
According to her, my car is a Toyota Camry with plate number YAB 579 BK with silver colour and other valuables like laptop, food items, and my purse were all in the car.
Another problem threatening the security of the FCT is the rate of ‘onechance’ activities being perpetrated by unscrupulous people to trap passengers in taxis either to rob or capture them for rituals or ransom.
Mrs Tina Dauda, a Nurse in one of the FCT hospitals said she was a victim of a gang of ‘one-chance’ while returning from work in the early hour of September 27.
Dauda said that immediately she entered the vehicle, she became suspicious as there were only men in the car, adding that her fear later materialised when she was asked to open her bag and bring all the money inside.
“Immediately, they pointed a gun at me inside the car, I quickly told them I don’t have money.
I was then asked to bring my ATM card where I led them to a bank to withdraw all the money in my account.’’ Also, Miss Hosanna Ikechukwu, a civil servant said it was a sad day for her when she fell victim of onechance robbers while returning from work.
Ikechukwu said that she was dispossessed of her valuables and almost lost her life to ‘one-chance’, criminals who threatened to kill her if nothing valuable was found on her.
She said that for the fact that she had money to part with; her life would have been in danger.
The bandit modus operand is to pose as taxi drivers in a bid to carry a passenger to a lonely road where they can perpetuate their evil act.
Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) in the FCT, DCP Salisu H.
GyadiGyadi, had earlier announced that the command had created an AntiOne-Chance Squad to arrest the situation.
Efforts to reach the Police Public relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, DSP Anjuguri Manza, proved abortive at the time of going to press as his phone was not going through.
