It has been gathered that armed robbers now disguise as beggars to snatch valuables from their unsuspecting victims on the streets of Lagos. According to Nigerianmagazine.com, their targets are often lone occupants of posh and exotic cars whom they dispossess of their most expensive items ranging from laptops, phones, money and jewelries.
The robbers, who usually operate between the hours of 5-9 pm, are reported to be always armed to teeth with dangerous weapons such as knives and shotguns. It was also gathered that some of them had formed the habit of disguising as a handicapped and beggars to deceive their victims and rob them in the process.
Areas in Lagos state that are notorious for such ugly activities are Mile Two Bridge, Coconut and Apapa – all on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
According to a victim who recounted how he escaped death by the whiskers in the hands of beggars-turned armed robbers, the robbers usually threaten their victims saying, “‘I need N5,000. If you respect yourself, bring the money.’ They will point gun at you.”
The victim, a managing director of an information and computer technology firm, said he was robbed three times within one month in the same Oshodi-Apapa area, and failure to grant their request would incur their wrath; they would either vandalise the car of the victim or physically attack their target leaving him or her with injuries.
Source: Nigerianmagazine.com
