Sahabi Sufiyan, a child rights activist and businessman, has detailed how he was attacked by suspected armed robbers who took everything from him including his identity cards near a police checkpoint in Abuja.
The activist explained he was driving from Kaduna to Abuja when his car’s tyre got punctured around Jere area of Kaduna State. But he managed to drive it to Area One in Abuja where it got flat and he had no spare.
Sahabi told WikkiTimes he was waiting around the area’s roundabout for a friend to bring him a spare tyre. Suddenly, the assailants appeared with machetes in their hands.
According to him, they searched his car and robbed him of his cell phone, money, identity cards, wristwatch as well as shoes.
AND THERE WAS A CHECKPOINT
Sahabi said he couldn’t believe such a thing could happen near a police checkpoint.
Sahabi said: “It was around 10 pm. I had just come in from Kaduna. I was that late because my tire was punctured around Jere. I was able to manage it down to town because it was a run-flat tyre and the car doesn’t use a spare. The tyre couldn’t go any further as it was tattered already. I thought I was safe since I was in area one just after the roundabout.
“I was quite confident because there was a police checkpoint close. I called for someone to bring me a tyre so I could fix it and get home. A few minutes after I stopped they came on a bike with sparkling machetes and they searched me and the car and went away with my phone, wristwatch, cards, IDs, shoes and cash. It was a terrible experience.”
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Sahabi said he immediately reported to the police checkpoint, but they told him there was nothing they could do about it.
“I reached the police nearby and informed them of what happened, although they followed me to the scene but told me there was nothing they would be able to do at that time,” he continued. “I will be reporting officially to the police station by Monday so I can get a police extract for lost IDs. They didn’t make any attempt on my car and didn’t destroy anything. Even if they wanted the car, it would not move fast enough for them to flee due to the tyre.”
Josephine Adeh, spokesman for FCT Police Command did not respond to calls. At press time, a text sent to her had not been responded to.