There was fear and panic among residents of Ogbumnuabali area of Port Harcourt, in Port Harcourt City Local Government of the Rivers state Monday night as suspected armed robbers stormed the area.
The incident which happened in Ogbuga and Ogbundah streets in the area around 7 in the evening, saw the entire community which is usually a beehive of activities, being a known commercial area known for computer and electronic business to go deserted within seconds, as people scamper to safety.
A source close to the area told the Nation that the assailants who were heavily armed young men and teenagers shot sporadically as they de-possess the victims of their valuables, including phones, cash and others.
He said that the community has been under siege by the hoodlums for a while now, with nothing being done about it.
Collaborating the source, a cap driver also told a story of how he stormed into them last week about the same time also, causing his vehicle to be discharged of passengers who ran out of the car for safety.
The men of the underworld were reportedly armed with guns and other dangerous weapons and they robbed some petty traders of their money and phones forcing some other shop owners to lock their shops and run for safety.
A resident who spoke to our reporter on the matter said “we are just living in fear now, if we hear noise, we go run for our lives because they can come at any time, I no go fit dey my shop reach 9’o clock for night again because of fear, we no dey safe again even to sleep for night, na one eye we dey carry sleep” she said.
According to another resident who pleaded anonymity, “they even go as far tearing window nets to steal whatever they can lay their hands on, this place is no longer what it used to be, we are pleading with the state government to provide security for us especially this election period”.
The hoodlums reportedly dispossess the residents of their property ranging from cars and other valuables on daily basis and terrorize the area freely without fear of apprehension or challenge by anyone, including security operatives.
It is suspected that the assailants are residents of the area who are well knowledgeable of the environment.
Rumour mills however said that some persons have been arrested in connection with the attack, but the police could not confirm it as at the time of filing this report.
Efforts to reach the spokesman of the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police failed. He did not answer calls.
