A 22-year-old job seeker was recently raped by a commercial bus driver, Akeem and his conductor, Sodiq around
Costain, Iponri area of Lagos.
Costain, Iponri area of Lagos.
Akeem
and Sodiq, along with two others still at large, had picked the victim,
Mercy (pseudonym) from the Obalende area, and were supposed to head for
the Victoria Island where the victim reportedly had a job interview.
and Sodiq, along with two others still at large, had picked the victim,
Mercy (pseudonym) from the Obalende area, and were supposed to head for
the Victoria Island where the victim reportedly had a job interview.
It was gathered that Mercy,
who hails from Otupko, Benue State, and holds a Nigerian Certificate in
Education, on March 10, had been called by a friend to attend the job
interview.
who hails from Otupko, Benue State, and holds a Nigerian Certificate in
Education, on March 10, had been called by a friend to attend the job
interview.
Punch Newspaper reports that the suspects
allegedly diverted to the Costain, Iponri area, assuring their victim
that they were only taking a different route to the island.
allegedly diverted to the Costain, Iponri area, assuring their victim
that they were only taking a different route to the island.
When the bus got to Costain, under the
bridge, the four allegedly robbed Mercy of her Automated Teller Machine
card, her purse and other documents. The suspects also allegedly raped
the lady before driving off.
bridge, the four allegedly robbed Mercy of her Automated Teller Machine
card, her purse and other documents. The suspects also allegedly raped
the lady before driving off.
It was learnt that after the robbery, the victim went to report the matter at the Iponri Police Division.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the
suspects were not found until last Tuesday when members of a vigilance
group in the area, who were also informed about the matter, nabbed the
driver and his conductor and handed them over to the police.
suspects were not found until last Tuesday when members of a vigilance
group in the area, who were also informed about the matter, nabbed the
driver and his conductor and handed them over to the police.
Speaking with our correspondent, Mary
said the suspects confused her because she was new in Lagos and she was
not familiar with most of the roads.
said the suspects confused her because she was new in Lagos and she was
not familiar with most of the roads.
She said, “On that day, I was at
Obalende when my friend called me that there was a job interview on the
Victoria Island. So I entered a bus heading to the area. Not long after,
three men entered as well. The driver drove towards CMS; when I
inquired, the other passengers said I should be calm as he was still
heading for the Island. I thought he was trying to avoid the traffic.“When we got to the bridge in Costain,
they stopped and they collected my purse, mobile phone, ATM card, PIN
and N2,000 cash on me. After they left, I told my elder brother that
some men had attacked me.
“He came and we both went to the Iponri division to make a report, but the robbers had withdrawn N120,000 through the ATM.”
An executive of the vigilance group,
Ishola Musbau, said,
Ishola Musbau, said,
“The case of a jobseeker being raped and robbed by
miscreants was brought to our attention. It took us two weeks to fish
out Akeem and Sodiq, and the victim identified them.“The driver and the conductor were
apprehended at a hideout in Itumara, Costain, where they usually
gathered for robbery operations.”