Armed Robbers Empty Phone Shop As Cult War Claims 17 In Bayelsa
3 min read
John ODHE, Yenagoa
Residents of Biogbolo in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital on Monday woke up to a shocking sight as unknown robbers broke into a popular cell phones shop known as Tecno Stores and made away with all the android phones in the shop, just as rival cult war has claimed no fewer than 17 lives in the Yenagoa metropolis in the last two weeks.
Located directly opposite Customs Road, Biogbolo, the bugled store sells other items such as non-android phones, phone accessories as well as MP players.
Residents were seen milling around the affected store whose owner narrated that the assailants broke the iron bars under the ceilings and gained entry into the store and exited through same means, adding that the robbers carried out the criminal act in the night when he had closed because he lives in a separate residence far away from the store.
The man who lamented that he had lost millions of naira to the theft, said he had reported the incident at the Ekeki Divisional Police Headquarters in Yenagoa while investigations commenced.
Meanwhile, renewed cult rivalries have left many youths dead in Yenagoa and its surroundings in the past two weeks.
According to sources, the supremacy tussle is between the dreaded Bobos and Greenlanders cult groups whose members have taken to the streets, hounding down any member of the rival cult groups at sight.
TNN learnt that the killings are most prevalent at Gwegwe street, Ovom, Kpansia, Swali, Agudama, Okaka and Yenizue-egene communities in the state capital.
The rampaging cultists also engage in armed robbery, thereby creating tension all over the state capital as businessmen and women are being forced to close shops before 7:00 pm.
On Tuesday afternoon, the marauding armed men invaded a popular fast food joint, Crunches, at Kpansia in Yenagoa, dispossessing customers of their cash, phones and other valuables.
Worried by the incessant robbery activities in the state, the residents have resorted to self-defence mechanisms including formation of community vigilante groups as well as jungle justice on any suspected armed robber, especially the ones caught in possession of guns and other weapons in the act of robbery.
A few days ago, a young man identified to be a native of Nembe local government area of the state was burnt to death by an angry mob at custom road, Biogbolo in the state capital after he and three other members (at large) were alleged to have robbed a Point of Service (POS) operator.
Meanwhile, residents are worried over the seeming hibernation of the state owned security outfit code named Operation Doo-Akpo amidst insecurity in the state just as our correspondent learnt that some of the operational vehicles of the security outfit are seen manning residential houses of some prominent politicians in the state while same are conspicuously absent from the streets of Yenagoa.
Commander of the operation doo-akpo could not be reached for comments because his phone number could not be obtained by our correspondent before filing in this report.