Bandits raid shops, passers-by in Lagos community

Etim Ekpimah
Armed robbers numbering over 10 invaded shops at Laara-Igbe community in the Igbogbo/Baiyeku area of Lagos State.
According to some of the shop owners who spoke on condition of anonymity on Saturday, the robbers began raiding their shops around 9pm on Friday.
They said after the bandits left about 40 minutes of operation, they returned around 10 to 11pm, where they also robbed those who were returning from work and passers-by.
One of the shop owners who identified himself simply as Chiamaka, said they thought the bandits were operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS owing to their outfits.
She added that the shop owners were taken aback as the people they thought were SARS operatives changed form and started attacking them.
She said, “I don’t know what I’ll say again. The attacks by bandits are too frequent these few days.
“Three days again they attacked the other area of Laara leading to Ijede and no single policeman dared arrest them.”
A passer-by who refused to disclose her name, said she lost her Samsung galaxy phone as well as N7000 in the attack.
She noted that she was returning from work when the robbers attacked her.
Our correspondent also gathered that no fewer than six vehicles had been vandalised.
It was learnt that the robbers shattered the vehicle glasses to gain access to remove brainbox.
Some of the vehicles were said to have been vandalised at mechanic workshops.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, SP Bala Elkana, could not be reached for comments as calls to his telephone rang out.
He did not respond to text message that was also sent to him.