Delta Police Commissioner
WARRI/Nigeria: The fear of attacks of armed bandits has in no small way enforced the Delta State dust to dawn curfew amongst residents in Warri South and Uvwie residents as the cases of armed bandits attacks on residents who defied the curfew were on the increase like the spread of the dreaded corona virus.
An unidentified young man who hailed from Abakaliki was shot dead by hoodlums riding in a commercial tricycle (keke) who disposed him of his mobile phone at Market Road, Warri in the early evening of Wednesday April 15, 2020
There were similar cases thankfully, with no death at the Ginuwa by Ogboru, Okere Junction by Igbo Market, Pessu and Effurun Roundabout (Fly Over) areas during the curfew.
A barber, named Johnson Sodje whose saloon is located at Warri Main Garage, while commenting on the issue in a chat with our correspondent on Saturday April 18th, 2020 affirmed that the fear of attacks of hoodlums had helped in enforcing the curfew in both local government areas.
“Government Security agents are commissioned to enforce the curfew. The highest punishment they can give, is to arrest an offender.
“But this is not so with hoodlums who are out to dispossess their victims of their valuables and at times kill them in the process.
“So it is wise to obey the curfew than to be a victim to armed bandits,” Sodje stated.
A female food vendor in Ugberikoko who do not want her name mentioned in the media said that she had not heard of any incident of armed bandits attacks during the curfew in the area but however acknowledged that cases of keke robbery were on the increase.
According to her, the attacks became rampant since the lockdown started, affirming that cases were even observed in broad day light in Uvwie and Warri South Local Government Areas.
A leader of Red Bar Vigilante Organization who is popularly known as Esuku, while commenting on the issue, noted, “Most Nigerians would not obey constituted authorities unless they are faced with serious challenges.”
While his counterpart, Eyeren Onogun , prayed that the lockdown should be over as he feared that if it extends more that the two weeks added period, even security agencies would become target for attacks by the hoodlums.
