My ordeal in the hands of robbers – Ex-Ambode’s aide

Ekene Okoro, a former aide of the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode has narrated his ordeal in the hands of armed robbers in Lagos few days ago.

Okoro is the assistant to Ambode’s Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna.

The incident occured at 9:35pm, Wednesday, June 26 as he finally came face to face with dare-devil Lagos traffic robbers.

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Until now, I had only been privy to listen to cases involving colleagues, close friends/relatives and a few friends on this platform.

I had just dropped off my colleague and friend, Augustine Akhilomen at Iyana Itire. For the very second time since nearly a year I drop him off every night, I felt pity for him. Reason: The rain was pummeling hard, fast and furious. I had no umbrella to spare him, but he assured me that he would be fine and home in no time.

As I drove off, driving became a little bit harder, the rain covered my windscreen and even my wipers could do little to help the situation.

The construction work by Hitech on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway main lane inward Mile 2 meant all vehicles approaching Cele Express Bus stop must negotiate to the service lane to continue their journey. I had become familiar with the route, so it was neither a problem, even in the downpour.

With less than 200 metres from Cele Bus Stop (PM Fuel Station), a little traffic had built up, perhaps caused by the rain and a few cars driving on the opposite direction.

I kept to the lane on the left, really for no reason but for the fact that I felt it would move faster.

While enjoying a solemn gospel track, two young guys, perhaps in their twenties, approached from the opposite direction of the road and stopped right in front of my car. The vehicle in front was a Commercial TATA Bus, hence, they needed the next private vehicle to perpetrate their nefarious intentions.

“Oga wind down your glass or I go break am”, one of them said, brandishing an old fashioned machete. I had last seen a sample like that in my village a few years ago. The other had an old dane pistol. I had seem a few in some Nollywood series I had stumbled to watch in recent times.

In the spur of the moment, I recalled the experience of my very good friend, colleague and Public Affairs Officer, Olasukanmi Idowu, who had encountered same early last month. Coincidentally, he was driving the same brand of car that day!

Immediately, I complied. “Oya bring the money, bring your phone”, the two uncoordinated robbers barked at me.

Unfortunately for them and fortunately for me, I had only N1,800 in the hand-rest of my car. It was 2000 a few minutes before the incident, but since the brand new Airport Road had become my favourite route in recent times, I had parted with N200 at the Toll Gate.

I offered them the cash and my Tecno phone. They were unimpressed. “Oga come down jor,” they ordered me, preferring to conduct the ultimate search themselves.

Flashing lights from the cars at the rear, perhaps gave away my watch as one instructed me to take it off my wrist, while the other continued the frantic search, scattering my documents and papers in the pigeon hole.

Done with me, they ordered me to move. At this point, I felt they wanted to use me as a bait to raid other vehicles behind. The rain kept pouring, there I was, barefooted (I had taken off my shoes earlier to free my legs a bit), walking in the rain. I felt like laughing, it seems like a scene from a movie scene, but it was real and I was the main character.

As soon as I saw that they were distracted with their next victim, I zoomed off. The first thought was to run far away from the scene, second thought was to head back to my car and zoom off.

I listened to the second thought. I sneaked back to my car, approaching from the front and hoped to jump in and zoom off. Alas! they had taken my key as a collateral damage. My car needed to be motionless in order to create artificial traffic and trap more victims.

Realising this, I stood by my car, hands akimbo, watching as the boys had a field day moving from car to car. Some put up a fight, some complied like me. Those who resisted, had their windows shattered.

Satisfied, they made their way to the other side of the road to the waiting arms of an okada rider, perhaps the third man in the team.

At this point, I summoned courage and approached them. “Bros, what of my key na”, I asked. I beckoned again, this time speaking their native language. One searched his pocket for it and offered to throw it to me than have me approach them, maybe for fear of the unknown.

I collected my keys and continued my journey. Too many thoughts at that point raced through. I had really lost nothing to them, the experience was unbelievable to say the least. I thought of the experience of others and just smiled sheepishly. But my greatest loss would be some memorable videos, recordings, photos gathered in the last four years, especially that of my family on my phone.

Friends and family, I am doing just fine. I can only be reached here for now, should be back on my phone line in about 24 hours.