Panic in Asaba over increase in robbery attacks on residents

Asaba and its environs in Delta State is currently under siege by armed robbers as its residents raised the fear of the unknown, calling on security operatives to redouble their strategies to ensure they are arrested.

It was gathered that in the last few months, these armed robbers have allegedly attacked many residents in Infant Jesus, Summit road, Oduke quarters, Okwe quarters, and Okpanam Community, and their properties including money carted away.

However, the State Police Command through the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Chucks Orisewezie, dismissed the reports to be untrue, saying that crime has reduced considerably as over twenty five robbery suspects were arrested under three months review.

ASP Chucks Orisewezie, who spoke to journalists in Asaba, disclosed that to ensure all criminals are arrested across the state, including Asaba and its environs, plain clothes Police men have been deployed to flash points as well as increasing patrol to 48 hours by various Police teams at different divisions.

But recently, a serving NYSC member in Asaba identified as Joseph Lawani was accosted along Nnebisi road at about 8pm where he was ripped off his mobile phone including his ATM card that was later used to empty his account at gunpoint.

Joseph Lawani, who spoke to newsmen in Asaba, said:” A young man walked up to me that evening very close to Stephen Keshi stadium and asked for direction to a particular address and demanded for my ATM card.

I don’t know what later happened and how they convinced me to enter the vehicle and they brought out gun before pushing me out after they also collected the pin number for My ATM card”.

The Corps member said that N52, 000 was withdrawn from his account, adding that it was the February allowance from NYSC. He said that as soon as the armed robbers finished withdrawals, they disappeared into the thin air.

Meanwhile, three different civil servants within a space of one week were allegedly robbed in their homes and valuable carted away as one of the victims identified as Pat Odagbe, a resident around Mr. Biggs along Okpanam road, met her home burgled while she was in church last Sunday.

The thieves were said to have made away with her phone and chargers and N50,000 that was kept in a wardrobe, as well as two plasma televisions.

While some residents of Asaba have claimed they at present sleep with their two eyes open, the Police in Aladja Community have confirmed the arrest of seventeen suspected cultists in the area on Thursday.

But the State Police Commissioner, Adeyinka Adeleke, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, said the suspects have been terriorising the area for weeks, adding that two locally made guns and two live cartridges were recovered from them. He said that the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigation.

It was gathered that one of the suspects, Kelvin Obru, a member of the Vickings confraternity, confessed to the crime, saying that himself and his gang members have been responsible for many attacks in the area in the recent times.

Expectedly, there has been cult clashes across the state involving members of the Domino Confraternity and Vickings, a situation that resulted in several persons been attacked and injured.