Bad guys rob passengers in Lagos-Ibadan expressway gridlock.

The unending gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is becoming a cash-cow for robbers with so many motorists and passengers being dispossessed of their valuables.

Motorists, who spoke about their experiences, said gunmen attacked them as the gridlock intensified due to the rehabilitation of the road.  Some victims said the robbers attacked Lagos-bound vehicles held up in the traffic and stole phones and money, among other valuables.

A motorist Aborishade Osanyin told The Punch that the hoodlums operated at about 8pm on Sunday.


He said, “They targeted exotic cars in the traffic. They harassed the owners and collected their valuables.

“The robbers are suspected to be hoodlums hiding under the Kara Bridge. Some motorists managed to reach the police, but the robbers had a field day for about 20 minutes.”

A commuter, who did not identify himself, described how the robbers operated:
“Some of them wore masks and had guns. They took the side of the long bridge where Julius Berger is rehabilitating and attacked vehicles in the gridlock. They shot into the air as they moved from one vehicle to the other. It was scary; some people jumped out of their vehicles and ran away.”

The commuter said when policemen, who received information on the robbery, arrived at the scene, they started shooting into the air to scare off the robbers.

He said the hoodlums escaped into the surrounding bushes.

It was learnt that policemen attached to the Warewa Police Division, Ogun State, and the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, and the Isheri Police Division, Lagos State, responded to the situation.

A policeman in the team said, “The hoodlums have hideouts in the area. When they sighted the police patrol vehicles, they took to their heels. The most important thing was to stop the robbery, which we did. We were able to assure the motorists driving into Lagos that the robbers had fled and that they were safe.”

Similarly on Tuesday, the robbers were said to have blocked the Multichoice end of the expressway attacking motorists in the resultant gridlock.

The Commander, RRS, ACP Olatunji Disu, said the police dislodged the robbers on Sunday. “The RRS patrol team and the Isheri division went after the robbers. We were able to dislodge them.”