By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A female tricyclist (Keke rider), operating in Awka, the capital city of Anambra State, has been dispossessed of her brand new Keke by two armed robbers.
The incident happened at about 10.46pm on Monday night, happened around happened opposite the newly-opened G7 Empire Supermarket, off St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church Junction, Okpuno, Awka.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, who witnessed the scene, observed that the female tricyclist was hustle-cruising with the remaining passenger in her brand new Keke when the men double-crossed her with their own Keke, pulled out their double-barrel pump-action gun, pointed it at her and ordered her to step down from the Keke.
The robbers, two in number, also cocked the gun several times, threatening to shoot her if she refused to come down, while she sat tight and held tight her Keke handle in panic, shouting and crying for help. Some residents of the area who ran out to help her upon hearing the shouts, retreated immediately they sighted the gun and began watching from afar.
The men, while seeing that she didn’t want to let go of the Keke even after her passenger had come down in panic, they brought out cane and started flogging and beating her mercilessly to force her to come down, even as the she helplessly screamed to her fate while the ferocious men dragged the tricycle with her.
As though to further scare the residents and compel the lady to ‘save them time’, the men fired one resounding gunshot into the air, before she eventually succumbed and was pushed out of the tricycle, while one of the robbers immediately took over the ride, as they zoomed off with the tricycle alongside their own.
The female tricyclist, who continued shouting helplessly for help while chasing after the men and her Keke, was helped by a co-tricyclist who came out shortly after the incident and whom she stopped, entered his Keke and went after the robbers through the same route they fled.
Some police officers, in the Special Anti-Cultism Squad (SPACS) uniforms also came out from a location in the area, upon hearing the incident, boarded a bus and went after the criminals.
Speaking in a telephone interview with this reporter, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye assured that criminals must be tracked down and arrested, as there is no hiding place for miscreants in the State.
He recounted that similar cases of tricycle snatching have been recorded in recent time in Awka, but further revealed that many of the suspects were tracked down and arrested and are currently in the police custody, while the stolen tricycles were also recovered and are also in the police custody.
CP Adeoye also noted that he had directed his men to ensure more strict surveillance at such strategic areas to clampdown on those criminals who are trying to sabotage the efforts of the security agencies in sustaining the peace and security being enjoyed by the people of the State. He further reiterated that the Command would surely track down the tricycle snatchers, recover the tricycle and bring the perpetrators to book.
On his own part when contacted by this reporter, the Chairman, Anambra Keke Drivers Forum (AKDF), Comrade Osita Obi, described the incident as very unfortunate, while assuring to make further inquiries and follow up with the matter.
Those who know the female Keke driver was said she was selling pounded cassava (fufu) and even paps at Eke Awka market and UNIZIK Junction, from where she saved the money to buy the brand new Keke; hence, justifying why she vehemently refused to let go of the Keke when the criminals were dragging it with her, knowing fully well that it was a product of her sweat and life savings.
According to information on Carmart.ng, the price of brand new TVS Keke Napep currently hovers between of ₦1.45m – ₦2.5m.
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