There was pandemonium on Wednesday at
the Warewa long bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as motorists
abandoned their vehicles after robbers attacked them in a gridlock.
the Warewa long bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as motorists
abandoned their vehicles after robbers attacked them in a gridlock.
A motorist told PUNCH Metro on the telephone around 8.30pm that many people abandoned their vehicles and fled into the bush.
He said, “There is confusion on the
bridge. Many of us are outside our cars. We suddenly heard that the
robbers had attacked again and people started fleeing their vehicles.
Some of the hoodlums were not armed with guns. We decided to get stones
with which we would attack them. We are standing outside now, just in
case of any attack.”
bridge. Many of us are outside our cars. We suddenly heard that the
robbers had attacked again and people started fleeing their vehicles.
Some of the hoodlums were not armed with guns. We decided to get stones
with which we would attack them. We are standing outside now, just in
case of any attack.”
Another motorist, a woman identified
only as Adebola, said the contractor handling the rehabilitation should
remove the dividers to ease the traffic so that robbers would not take
advantage of the gridlock to attack commuters.
only as Adebola, said the contractor handling the rehabilitation should
remove the dividers to ease the traffic so that robbers would not take
advantage of the gridlock to attack commuters.
She said, “The contractor should remove
the dividers and ease the traffic. Those robbers are using the
opportunity of the traffic to unleash mayhem on motorists. It should not
be so.
the dividers and ease the traffic. Those robbers are using the
opportunity of the traffic to unleash mayhem on motorists. It should not
be so.
“The hardship these dividers cause alone
is enough reason to remove them. If there will be reconstruction at
that end, it should be in the daytime. As soon as night comes, the
contractor should not allow traffic to build up because the robbers take
advantage of that.”
is enough reason to remove them. If there will be reconstruction at
that end, it should be in the daytime. As soon as night comes, the
contractor should not allow traffic to build up because the robbers take
advantage of that.”
A police source attached to the Warewa
Police Division, however, told one of our correspondents that the long
bridge was “flooded with policemen,” adding that there was no robbery on
the bridge.
Police Division, however, told one of our correspondents that the long
bridge was “flooded with policemen,” adding that there was no robbery on
the bridge.
He explained that the traffic on the road was caused by vehicles which broke down along the bridge.
He said, “The police have been
patrolling that long bridge. There is no robbery. The problem is that
many residents of Arepo and Warewa, who have nowhere to make a U-turn,
are forced to join the traffic on the long bridge and that increases the
number of vehicles on the bridge.”
patrolling that long bridge. There is no robbery. The problem is that
many residents of Arepo and Warewa, who have nowhere to make a U-turn,
are forced to join the traffic on the long bridge and that increases the
number of vehicles on the bridge.”
A tricycle rider, Kola Jaiyeola, told
one of our correspondents that a businessman was robbed of N3m and other
valuables on Sunday.
one of our correspondents that a businessman was robbed of N3m and other
valuables on Sunday.
He said, “The man was coming from Abuja
when he was trapped in the traffic on Monday. He narrated how the
robbers beat him up when he initially declined to part with his
valuables. They stabbed him in the back and his shirt was torn.
Eventually, he said the robbers collected N3m, two phones and a
wristwatch from him. I was the one who gave him a lift to Ikeja.
when he was trapped in the traffic on Monday. He narrated how the
robbers beat him up when he initially declined to part with his
valuables. They stabbed him in the back and his shirt was torn.
Eventually, he said the robbers collected N3m, two phones and a
wristwatch from him. I was the one who gave him a lift to Ikeja.
“He said he had come for a business in Lagos. He was bleeding.”
The Ogun State acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, did not pick his calls as of press time.
He also had yet to reply to a text message sent to his phone.