Robbers strike along Abuja-lokoja road

A gang of suspected armed robbers Saturday afternoon struck near Chikara village, along AbujaLokoja road and dispossessed travelers of their monies and other valuables.

A witness said the suspected robbers, who were six in number, emerged from the bush with sophisticated weapons and wearing face masks, adding that they stopped vehicles and demanded the passengers to get out and lie face down on the ground.

He said the first vehicle, a bus, which ran into the robbers, who were shooting into the air at a sharp bend about a kilometer away from Abaji town, had its passengers dispossessed of their monies and other possessions.

“I was inside my farm which is not far from the road when I started hearing sound of gunshots and before I knew what was happening, I started hearing ‘come down and lie down’. When I discovered that they were armed robbers, I lied down and stayed very quiet in the farm as they were shooting into the air,” he said.

He said the robbers, who were busy dispossessing the passengers of the bus of their monies and valuables and shooting into the air suddenly started fleeing back into the bush as they heard the blaring of siren of an escort in a convoy from the Lokoja end of the road.

City News learnt that some vehicles coming from Gwagwalada axis that were carrying travelers to the East were forced to park at the army checkpoint near Abaji town, after they got wind of the robbery operation.

It was said to have lasted about 25 minutes.

City News further gathered that the suspected robbers fled back into the bush when they sensed that some soldiers from the army checkpoint were on their way to engage them in a shootout. The road was then cleared and vehicles continued with their journeys.

When contacted, Abaji Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. James Idachaba, said where the robbery incident took place was not his jurisdiction as it was at the Kogi State boundary and advised our reporter to get in touch with Chikara police station.

Effort to get reaction from Chikara Divisional Police Officer was however not successful as he was said to have travelled to Gegu Divisional Police headquarters for a meeting, but a police officer confirmed the robbery incident , adding that before the police arrived the scene the robbers had fled into the bush.

“Before the police arrived the scene, the suspected robbers have fled and we are still combing the bush in order to trace their hideout,” he said.