Journalist Abiola Aloba Narrates His Experience With Armed Robbers in Lagos

Journalist Abiola Aloba, took to his Facebook page to share his experience with armed robbers in his area yesterday June 2nd. He wrote;

"Am still trying to get out of it, even as I write this my hands are still shaking!!! Since about 11plus pm last nite when I experienced what was like a movie part where I was one of the actors playing a role.

I had gotten home and as usual there was no light, that alone after a very trying day was thoroughly deflating, I noticed that the Generator too wasn't on and that added to the frustrating situation, so I decided there and then that whatever it was I was going to go look for fuel, that was if that was what the problem was.

So I thought to decongest the car first, as I had bought a few provisions and things for the house. As soon as I got upstairs i checked and confirmed that nothing was wrong with the generator, except that there was truly no fuel. So after dropping off my bags and other things , I left to go to the Mobil filling station at Maryland. I had wanted to leave my personal bag in the car at first and then decided against that at the last minute as it had my international passport, some other documents and my bank things.


READ MORE AFTER THE CUT........................................

So to Maryland I headed, got to the station without any incidence, bought fuel for the car and also for the generator and then engine oil and in my mind, I was already so happy I wasn't going to sleep in the dark.

From Maryland to Ilupeju, then the Anthony bridge going towards Gbagada. I was on the main express road just cruising and in my own world, I just noticed off handed on my right on the service lane a minivan. I didn't think anything of it, only just noticed that they were trying to keep up. So I just zoomed off thinking who are this one, who wants to compete with anyone at this kind of time. Apparently they had noticed me well and were biding their time.

Just as I was approaching the Mobil filling station at Gbagada and I trafficated so I could climb the bridge, I just noticed that the minivan accelerated suddenly and drove past quite suddenly to go ahead of me on the bridge. I was shocked, but still thought the driver and whoever might be in the minivan were either drunk and were baiting for some reactions. So I was behind and they were driving in front of me.

But since the bad driving of a few seconds before, my instinct had kicked in and i was just a bit alert. Not a few more seconds later, Lo and behold as we climbed the bridge in front of the filling station going to the other side, right at the middle I noticed that the minivan was slowing down and then suddenly stopped!

In a split second, I saw a door opening, thinking quickly that what was it that was about happening , I quickly engaged my reverse and was trying to move back, that surprised them a bit, but since it was pitch dark, I hit a culvert and couldn't move further, when they saw this, they started moving towards me again. My mind just said run for your life. In a split second, I had jumped down and ran down the bridge in the dark shouting thieves ole!! Ole!!! The only thing I heard was hey! Stop! For where!!!

  As I spoke to my legs, my tempo of acceleration increased till I ran to the Mobil station for help. I was thoroughly shaken to my bones. I had just escaped a robbery/kidnap attempt!!!

I shouted at the station got some people's attention, who I explained to what had just happened. That was when I was told it was a recurring decimal. People get robbed and are driven around for hours till they are released!!!! What!!!!!! These people said we should go back up the bridge, I was scared shitless. But I summoned the courage and up we went treading very carefully.

Lo and behold, there was my car, ignition on, headlights still on, driver's side door ajar, just a few things scattered nothing missing!!!

What had apparently saved my car was that it had climbed the culvert and was hooked, not able to go forward or backward!!! Also what had saved me from tumbling backwards was the aluminum railings. So apart from escaping the attack, I could have tumbled over!!!

It took close to 2 hours before we could move the car afterwards, we had to get a towing vehicle, who exploited the situation asking for a crazy amount. I just had to agree just to get out and away from the black spot.

It was whilst we were struggling to get my car out of the ditch, that more stories of attacks and robberies were told me. So that spot was a fair ground for robbers!!!! A particular story of a person was told, whose car was stopped exactly like mine and then the dude was locked in the boot of his own car and was driven afterwards to an ATM to withdraw about 150k, then later driven to another ATM after 12am to remove another 150k.

So just imagine that one is stopped and you have no money on you and even in one's ATM? What could have happened is left for the imagination.

It was early this morning that I knew I could have beaten a Justin Gatlin or even the world record holder in a 100 meters dash. Boy!!!! Can I run!!!!

I thank the God of the Spirits of the prophets for His grace upon my life. Am still in shock though grateful. Those useless trees around that bridge allows for cover for many of these robberies.

We all need to be careful!