“After the day’s robbery, we will
sell off the phones and jewellery at Kasuwa Market in Boundary, Ajegunle,
Lagos. In fact, any person that was robbed along Mile 2-Apapa Expressway should
quickly rush to the market and buy the stolen property back.”
sell off the phones and jewellery at Kasuwa Market in Boundary, Ajegunle,
Lagos. In fact, any person that was robbed along Mile 2-Apapa Expressway should
quickly rush to the market and buy the stolen property back.”
This was the confession of an
armed robber, simply known as Ekezie, who was recently arrested in Lagos.
armed robber, simply known as Ekezie, who was recently arrested in Lagos.
According to him, Kasuwa Market
is where he was disposing of all the stolen goods at give-away prices.
He advised victims to gently
plead with the sellers who are also criminals to sell back the stolen products.
plead with the sellers who are also criminals to sell back the stolen products.
“If the information in the laptop
or phone is important to you, as soon as you get there, request for that
particular phone and offer to pay them if it could be found. I promise you that
it would be found,” he further said.
or phone is important to you, as soon as you get there, request for that
particular phone and offer to pay them if it could be found. I promise you that
it would be found,” he further said.
Worried by such information,
Saturday Sun decided to pay a visit to this market.
Saturday Sun decided to pay a visit to this market.
And for days, it was difficult to
trace the exact spot it was, as the market, popularly known as Boundary Market,
is full of the usual buying and selling of necessities of life like foodstuff.
trace the exact spot it was, as the market, popularly known as Boundary Market,
is full of the usual buying and selling of necessities of life like foodstuff.
Located close to Ayeke Canal, the
spot can be accessed from an area called Tolu, close to the Boundary Market.
spot can be accessed from an area called Tolu, close to the Boundary Market.
From the first entrance, where
various provision shops are located, Saturday Sun gathered that business starts
as early as 5am till about 8am when market women start arriving.
various provision shops are located, Saturday Sun gathered that business starts
as early as 5am till about 8am when market women start arriving.
Another round resumes at about
6pm till whenever they choose to close for the day.
6pm till whenever they choose to close for the day.
In one of the reporter’s visits
to the market, late in the evening, at about 6.30pm, one funny-looking young
man, obviously a tout, came demanding to know what “this new face wants.”
to the market, late in the evening, at about 6.30pm, one funny-looking young
man, obviously a tout, came demanding to know what “this new face wants.”
Pretending to be one of them, in
a hush tone, the journalist promised to pay him heavily if he could trace who
was in custody of a 9320 model of Blackberry that was stolen by robbers earlier
in the day.
a hush tone, the journalist promised to pay him heavily if he could trace who
was in custody of a 9320 model of Blackberry that was stolen by robbers earlier
in the day.
To convince the tout, who later
identified himself as Segun, N1,000 processing fee was given and he dashed off,
with a promise to return in the next 10 minutes.
identified himself as Segun, N1,000 processing fee was given and he dashed off,
with a promise to return in the next 10 minutes.
Segun actually returned but with
a promise that he would be on the lookout for it as they were “still expecting
goods.”
a promise that he would be on the lookout for it as they were “still expecting
goods.”
He admitted that most of the
phones sold there are stolen.
phones sold there are stolen.
In pidgin language, he said: “Na
our boys dey bring these product after the day’s job. See the blackberry wey I
dey use for market, na N100,000, but for here them sell am N10,000. No be say
na so them dey sell am oh, I be area papa.”
our boys dey bring these product after the day’s job. See the blackberry wey I
dey use for market, na N100,000, but for here them sell am N10,000. No be say
na so them dey sell am oh, I be area papa.”
When the reporter returned to the
spot the next morning at the instance of Segun who called, series of phones
were displayed, including a 9320 model of Blackberry phone.
spot the next morning at the instance of Segun who called, series of phones
were displayed, including a 9320 model of Blackberry phone.
When the reporter claimed that
the one available was not the exact phone, Segun asked: “You fit describe the
thief? May be the guy na new hand for this area.”
the one available was not the exact phone, Segun asked: “You fit describe the
thief? May be the guy na new hand for this area.”
After describing what the thief
could look like, Segun insisted that the thief does not patronize them at
Kasuwa Market.
could look like, Segun insisted that the thief does not patronize them at
Kasuwa Market.
He was well compensated for his
efforts, with the promise that he would call as soon as he spots anyone that
fits the description.
efforts, with the promise that he would call as soon as he spots anyone that
fits the description.
Meanwhile, residents and some
market men and women who spoke with Saturday Sun, appealed to Nigerians and the
police to help stop all the criminal activities that go on in that area with
impunity.
market men and women who spoke with Saturday Sun, appealed to Nigerians and the
police to help stop all the criminal activities that go on in that area with
impunity.
One of the market women, known as
Mama Ibeji, lamenting, said the area has been under the control of criminals
who rob at night and turn around to extort them during the day.
Mama Ibeji, lamenting, said the area has been under the control of criminals
who rob at night and turn around to extort them during the day.
Mama Ibeji sid: “It is no longer
news. We market people are at the mercy of these criminals. If the police can
come and raid this area, it will be a serious relief.”
news. We market people are at the mercy of these criminals. If the police can
come and raid this area, it will be a serious relief.”
On why they have not reported
those acts to the police, Mama Ibeji said: “Some of the buyers are security
men. They come with the excuse that they want to buy fairly used phones and any
other thing that is available. If they do not find it offensive or illegal, who
am I to walk into trouble by reporting them? They will surely know because they
have their men everywhere. If they kill here, nobody would look for you. I have
to survive, if not I should have relocated a long time ago.”
those acts to the police, Mama Ibeji said: “Some of the buyers are security
men. They come with the excuse that they want to buy fairly used phones and any
other thing that is available. If they do not find it offensive or illegal, who
am I to walk into trouble by reporting them? They will surely know because they
have their men everywhere. If they kill here, nobody would look for you. I have
to survive, if not I should have relocated a long time ago.”
Another person who identified
himself as Chief Orji said that several anonymous petitions have been written
to security agencies to rid the market of criminals.
himself as Chief Orji said that several anonymous petitions have been written
to security agencies to rid the market of criminals.
Orji said: “They hawk hard drugs
at will. If the NDLEA (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency) decides to visit
this place, they will surely have a major breakthrough. We the residents live
in fear because of the existence of that spot. Sometime ago, my brother was
robbed at gunpoint along Apapa Road. They took his Blackberry phone and ipad.
We had given up on the items. Then the next day, I saw one of them at about 6pm
trying to sell that particular phone. I confronted them and ended up being
beaten up. I was advised to buy the phone back. But by the time I came back the
next day, they had sold it. It’s a terrible area and I pray that the Nigeria
police will help us restore sanity in Ajegunle, especially that spot.”
at will. If the NDLEA (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency) decides to visit
this place, they will surely have a major breakthrough. We the residents live
in fear because of the existence of that spot. Sometime ago, my brother was
robbed at gunpoint along Apapa Road. They took his Blackberry phone and ipad.
We had given up on the items. Then the next day, I saw one of them at about 6pm
trying to sell that particular phone. I confronted them and ended up being
beaten up. I was advised to buy the phone back. But by the time I came back the
next day, they had sold it. It’s a terrible area and I pray that the Nigeria
police will help us restore sanity in Ajegunle, especially that spot.”
On what the police has done about
this development, a senior police officer, who pleaded that his name should not
be mentioned, said that police has constantly raided the area and arrested such
criminals.
this development, a senior police officer, who pleaded that his name should not
be mentioned, said that police has constantly raided the area and arrested such
criminals.
The police officer said:
“Ajegunle is an over-populated area, full of jobless youths. The women breed
children like pigs with no reasonable source of livelihood. So, these children
end up in the streets as touts and prostitutes. NDLEA should also be involved
as hard drugs are sold freely in that market on a daily basis.”
“Ajegunle is an over-populated area, full of jobless youths. The women breed
children like pigs with no reasonable source of livelihood. So, these children
end up in the streets as touts and prostitutes. NDLEA should also be involved
as hard drugs are sold freely in that market on a daily basis.”
When contacted, the Lagos State
Police Command spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said that the Nigeria police would
stop at nothing to rid Lagos of such miscreants.
Police Command spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said that the Nigeria police would
stop at nothing to rid Lagos of such miscreants.
Braide advised Lagosians to
desist from patronising such people because of the price as any stolen good can
still be found and the buyer could get in trouble for buying such product.
desist from patronising such people because of the price as any stolen good can
still be found and the buyer could get in trouble for buying such product.
