VANGUARD'S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF,MR GBENGA ADEFAYE ATTACKED

LAGOS — Armed bandits, early morning yesterday, laid siege to Lagos/Ibadan Expressway and carted away cash and valuables worth millions of naira.

Among the victims of the robbery attack, which reports said had been going on for over three consecutive days, is the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Editor-in-Chief of Vanguardnewspapers, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, who ended up with bruises after loosing his Blackberry phone and other gadgets.

Reports said the bandits, who were dressed in Police uniform, blocked the ever-busy expressway by Isara area around 10.15 a.m and subjected unsuspecting motorists

and their passengers to hours of grueling torture and harassment. Some of the lucky motorists were said to have ran into the bush to escape the attack.  Their abandoned vehicles were, however, ransacked while all their valuables were carted away.

Mr. Adefaye, who narrated his experience on phone, said they blocked the expressway and was robbing from one vehicle to another.  He sustained bruises while trying to escape into the nearby bush.  The bandits, however, vandalised his car, a Honda Bullet with number plate AG 56 AGL and made away with his valuables.

Other victims who spoke with Vanguard said the bandits operated for over 30 minutes before disappearing into the thick bush.  It was gathered that a team of policemen arrived the scene few minutes after the robbers disappeared.

Lamenting their plight, the victims said they learnt from people living around the area that the bandits have been operating for three consecutive days and only disappear into the bush when policemen arrive.  They also said the robbers normally resurface to continue with their  operation immediately policemen leave the scene.  They attributed the incessant robbery to the recent removal of police road blocks on the expressway by the new Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar.

According to one of the victims who pleaded for anonymity,”when a team of policemen arrived the scene, they were asking us questions on how the incident happened.  While we were busy narrating the story to them, some people living around the area advised us to find means of getting out of the area because the robbers must re-appear as son as the policemen departs from the scen.  That was how all of us rushed out of the dangerous zone.”

As at the time of filing this report, it was not possible to contact Ogun State police Public Relations Officer.