Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Wednesday called on the Police and other security agencies to urgently rescue them from incessant robbery attacks in the territory.

The residents, who expressed worry over increasing cases of robbery and pickpockets, especially in the city centre, said they were presently living in fear of armed gangs as they were being attacked and robbed with impunity at some bad spots in the territory.

They, therefore, implored the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the Police and other security agencies to intensify security measures in the areas.

The residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the robbers and pickpockets often operated from 6p.m., dispossessing their targets of their valuables.

However, in a swift reaction, the police said the situation “is under control in the FCT and additional measures have been put in place to curtail crimes.”

Mrs Elizabeth Ogunkolade, a resident, who was attacked by a robber on her way from Wuse Zone 6 where she went to make her hair, called for adequate security in the territory.

Ogunkolade, while recalling her ordeal said, “as soon as I finished making my hair at about 7p.m, I drove through Berger, on getting to the roundabout, there was a little holdup, a young man just opened the door of my car and entered.

“It was when the young man brought out a knife and about to stab me that I surrendered everything on me. He took my bag containing my phone, wallet, identity card and N10,000,” she said.

She said that the experience devastated her as she continued to live with the thought of another attack.

Ogunkolade added that she however managed to drive the car home, but did not go out with the car for days for fear of another attack.

She said when she reported the case at the police station, she was shocked to hear that such robbery incidents were common in the FCT.

Mr David Takar, a journalist said that he was also attacked by two young men at Mabushi Bridge at about 7p.m. on his way home after the close of work.

“Two guys approached me with a sharp knife demanding for my phone, wallet, cash or I would be killed. They stabbed me four times on my hand, back, arm and went away with my phone and items on me,’’ he said.

Tarka said there was heavy vehicular movement at the time of the incident but nobody could stop to rescue him from the hoodlums.

Mrs Alice Oyelade, a staff of Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), also narrating her experience, said she was attacked at Central Area along the Central Mosque at the close of work at 8:30 p.m.

“Two men approached me, and I sensed trouble, but immediately I flung my bag and ran toward an oncoming vehicle that eventually stopped for me.’’

She said that the driver was magnanimous enough to put on the head light of his car when he sighted her afar off and followed her behind until she could get a vehicle to her destination.

Mrs Kemi David, whose husband was a patient at the National Hospital, said she was going to purchase prescribed drugs at a nearby pharmacy around 10 p.m., when two men approached her and immediately collected the money for the drugs and her phone.

David said that she was stabbed when she attempted to resist them, and was also hospitalised at National Hospital along with her husband.

DSP Anjuguri Manzah, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), FCT Command, debunked claims that the FCT police command was incapable of tackling the menace, saying the Police had the under control.

He said that the FCT Police Command was in charge of the situation and warned the hoodlums to desist from such dastardly act, adding that security had been put in place where such crimes were rampant.

The spokesman noted that security remained the business of everybody, and called on residents to help the police with vital information and be security conscious all the time.

“Security is a collective responsibility, no society is free from crime, everyone has the right to be vigilant, the police know when to come in and when there are security breaches,” he said.

Manzah called on FCT residents to always apply central lock while driving, saying nobody would be able to access the car from outside if they took such precautions.

He said that over 100 people had been arrested and prosecuted in the FCT for such cases and many of them had been serving various jail terms since February. (NAN)

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