Panic As Hoodlums Attack Motorcyclists, Steal Bikes In Lagos

File photo: Okada riders

 

Hoodlums around the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Favour Tabernacle; Ogunlana and Adetola streets as well as other areas in Aguda, Surulere area of Lagos State, have allegedly attacked commercial motorcyclists and dispossessed them of their motorcycles.

It was learnt that the hoodlums, who usually operate between 7pm and 10pm, had made the areas uncomfortable for the motorcyclists.

One of the motorcylists, who identified himself simply as Yusuf, said he lost a motorcycle to the hoodlums last week Thursday.

He explained that as he was moving towards the RCCG Favour Tabernacle area, some hoodlums emerged from nowhere, blocked him, started beating him and pushed him off the motorcycle.

According to him, before he could escape, the hoodlums had made away with his motorcycle, adding that he was in pain for a week.

Yusuf noted that it was less than a month after one Alhaji bought the motorcycle for him to be making weekly remittances.

He stated, “It was not late when I conveyed a passenger to Enitan Street, near the Mobil filling station, and I headed for Ojuelegba. The streets in the area were still busy because it was around 6.47pm. So, I saw some youths, who blocked the path with stones.

“I did not know their mission; I was trying to come out to Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, when they stopped me. The next thing I noticed was that they rained slaps on my face. And by this time, they had already brought me down from the motorcycle. As I tried to resist, they brought out knives to stab me, while some of them made away with my motorcycle.”

Another motorcyclist, who identified himself simply as Ahmed, said the first motorcycle he was given on hire purchase when he arrived in Lagos in 2018 was stolen barely two weeks after.

Ahmed said the hoodlums were everywhere, adding that the police were not willing to arrest them.

He noted that the inaction of the police had emboldened the hoodlums to act as if they are above the law.

When contacted for comments, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Bala Elkana’s telephone rang out. He had also not respond to a text message sent to his mobile telephone as of the time of filing this story.