UPPER IWEKA ONITSHA A DANGEROUS PLACE LIKE NEVER BEFORE (READ)

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Robbers collecting all valuables from us on a holdup in a busy road with huge pedestrians, hawkers watching, roadside stalls and shop owners watching, none came to our rescue. None tried alerting the police men some meters away. All other vehicles on the holdup wind up their windows and locked their car doors. They all watched as we were stripped of everything we had on us in our car around 5:30pm (it was still broad daylight) yesterday at Upper Iweka Onitsha.

I have always read several accounts by commuters and vehicle owners who had similar robbery experience on Facebook. They always gave out some security tips like 'lock up your windows while in a holdup'. I forgot all that because my car was filled up with my family members. I didn't want to use the AC because of the mentality that AC consumes fuel. Then, this horrible young man walked up to our car, placed his hand on the car window and said ' nna choro boys ihe' meaning young man look for something for the boys. He was referring to my brother who was driving. My brother told him there was was nothing. Immediately he said that, the thief brought up a knife wrapped in a red cloth and was very careful so that onlookers won't know what was happening. He repeated if you don't want me to massacre you all here bring out all you have. My sister was about saying don't give him anything, another young man with a knife came to my window side and said if you make noise I will kill you here. So I brought out my purse and gave him some money. He threatened me with his knife and said bring that whole purse. I then remembered I had my ATMS, voter's card, national ID, driver's license and office ID in the purse, plus the bundle of cash I withdrew that evening for the journey. Something in me refused to hand over the purse.

By this time, he was threatening to stab me with his knife. I brought out the entire money and gave to him. The other thief was also collecting from my brother and Inlaw. I managed to hide my phone, while the first thief was threatening my brother. They collected everything to their satisfaction and left, crossed the road to the other arm of the highway while looking back at us. Meanwhile, there were other fierce looking young men with big planks and sticks on the holdup pretending to be helping with the traffic. I think they are of the same gang. They were only watching out for the other two Robbers. I am glad that they left us unscathed. I don't know what would have happened if we were wounded.

Do you know we drove to the police check point and informed them? They only asked where it happened, we pointed to the bridge. They said we should park and go with them to point at the boys if we could recognize them. My brother advised we move away and we did. How can we go and point to Robbers who have already moved? Is there wisdom in that question from the police? After they left, one bus driver drove to our side and said, 'don't you know that you wind up your glasses whenever you are on a holdup in Onitsha?' I learnt several lessons from this encounter with the men of the underworld at Onitsha. Upper Iweka is a very dangerous place in South Eastern Nigeria, all sorts of evil happen there but I never knew it could happen in a broad daylight.