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.
LEADERSHIP WEEKEND
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