The successful robbery.

Isa Emmanuel

A story of how I was robbed on the streets of Lagos. 

After a busy day of interacting with customers which has become part of my daily routine, I decided to stay back to wait for Kachukwu Peter, an Igbo guy who speaks and understands Hausa fluently and was an LPD officer at the Grocery Bazaar store. One of the responsibilities of Francis's position is to thoroughly search the bags of staff to make sure that goods are not stolen from the store. 

I was impatient because Francis was taking a lot of my time until he finally finished and we were heading home which was around 9:46 pm.

We were standing on Addo Road, one of the lonely streets of Lagos at night. No hawkers were in sight, it was only the vehicle owners who were enjoying the severity of the highway. 

Francis replied "Walahi nima haka", in a faint tone. 

We began trying our luck to stop a keke napep until luckily we stopped one with two decently looking guys. These two guys were looking like saints until my colleague Fidel Johnson came running and demanded that we give her a space to sit but it was a wasted effort because the keke was full before she had gotten to the bus stop. 

I was listening to "Woman No Cry, by Tems for Wakanda Forever soundtrack" when my song was interrupted by a call from James Ojubuyi a church member. I was unable to hear Brother James as a result of the breeze that was blowing violently and was trying to pass a message of warning to me. Suddenly, our keke stopped at Pump and Sell, before Infinity estate. This spot has always been a lonely place at night where cases of robbery have been recorded on multiple occasions. One of those guys brought out a long knife that looked like a suya man's possession. I thought I was dreaming until I received an awakening punch on the jaw while he was demanding my phone. Robber 1 had a knife, Robber 2 had a gun and this mission could not have been completed without a driver, it was a complete gang. 

Francis was pointed a gun, which called for the total submission of his phone. After the successful operation, we had to jump out of the keke to prevent any further harm to our lives. 

We were walking on the lonely street of Lagos like a bird that had been poured hot water on its feather when a keke man asked us where we were going. 

Francis: Na house we dey go bcos na now dem rob us. 

I was not a part of their conversation because I was still shocked, exhausted, and needed to be reminded that this was reality. The keke man carried us for free to our respective bus stops and warned us to be careful, 

"Na bad people plenty for dis Lagos, always dey careful before u go dey enter moto", in his own words. 

Finally, I arrived home, not safe and sound though, which means that I had an African mother to confront, 

"Me ya faru da fuskar ka yayi haka?" my mum asked. (What happened that your face is looking like this).

"wallahi keke da na shiga ne a chapka mani way", I responded forcefully (I was robbed in the keke that I entered). 

She was looking too concerned and I began to feel pity on myself. This feeling was short-lived until my mother said, "Where is your power bank? My battery has run down", which changed the whole subject.

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