But today a colleague was going with me and the plan had been that we'll come back to Surulere together when we were through. But midway into the rehearsal, my dear friend disappeared. When I called him, he gave some flimsy excuse of why he had to leave early, but thankfully for me, there were two models who were headed my way. So at about 7:45, we got in my car to get back to Surulere.
Usually when I'm driving at night, I don't turn on the radio, the music kinda distracts me, but this night one of the models insisted on listening to music, so I had no choice but to turn on the radio. Just less than two minutes of tuning to Rhythm 93.7, an announcement came warning road users to avoid Eko Bridge, because there was an armed robbery operation going on in a traffic jam on the bridge. They also called on the police to go over there and help out.
By now I was just leaving kingsway Road Ikoyi heading towards the bridge. To say my heart almost stopped is an understatement. I was shaking like fish that couldn't breath. I had to stop the car to catch my breath. Eventually when I found strenght, I managed to reverse the car and head back towards Ikoyi. I stopped at the first eatery I found and parked.
I had no plans of crossing that bridge tonight, I couldn't drive across it even if I tried. The fact that a robbery had taken place there made it impossible for me to even consider going home this night. One of the girls suggested calling a friend who was in the army to come escort us, I looked at her and said even if King Leonidas and the 300 soldiers offered to escort us, nothing would make me cross that bridge tonight. My whole being had been affected by what I'd heard on the radio. Me and armed robbers don't understand each other in anyway.
I'd had an encounter with armed robbers in 2002 when Usher was here for a concert. I'd gone to see him with a friend and my younger sister. Four armed robbers attacked my car, took all three phones, messed my spirit up...that's a story for another day.
Anyway, I decided to go stay over at a friend's place on the Island. The two girls braved it and took a cab home at around 10:00 tonight. It's about eleven, I'm still waiting to hear they got home safely.
How armed robbers will have the guts to rob vehicles in a traffic jam is beyond me. Do you know how many cars they'll have to rob? Traffic in Lagos is crazy. How many robbers could there have been? And where were the police? I later heard Rhythm had been making the announcement since 7:50, I heard it at about 8:07pm.
I don't know what happened on that bridge tonight. Hopefully no one was hurt.
But its sad that we are not safe on our Lagos roads. Really sad!
13 comments:
It's usually pathetic to read stuff like this. Thank God you were listening to Rhythm or else we might have been dealing with a different story now. That Eko bridge is usually dangerous at night. I refrain from taking it whenever I can. I don't mind going through 3rd mainland and going through Yaba. Too many bad things have happened on that road.
Hmm.. that's really sad...only God will help us.....thk God u found out before u got there tho'.
i passed that eko bridge that day o!!! I passed at about 9pm! Thank God for his mercies sha. I just got robbed by armed robbers on what I think is the tail end of 3rd mainland bridge about two weeks ago, and it was around that time too!!! i think the thing now is go to the island while it's still light outside or when its late around 10/11pm. anything outside that, don't even venture on those bridges.
That thing is no joke!
Thank god u heard it on radio.. i happy foru my dear.. those robbers sef, na only God go catch them. how far the models don call u sha?
something really has to be done about this... everyone knows this is a daily occurence, but no one is doing anything about it... The police mjust fold their arms and watch as the events unfold everyday, lives and properties are lost everyday to the hands of criminals and it's such a shame...
See this is exactly what I was arguing about the other day. I like to know I can get in m car at 2am in the morning and not be worried about someone robbing me, or If I have a flat tire, thinking this is definite grounds for being attacked. I know when we go out at night in nig and start heading home, Im as tense as a crab. I mean, I try not to speak and keep my eye on the road getting ready for action. lol.. I appreciate my freedom and yah I love NIG but mehn, it will take a whole lot for me to consider living like that on a constant basis, always watching my back. They say money dey naija o, but im sorry, no amount of money can buy my security.. Anyhoo Linda, Sorry o, I can just imagine how shaken you were. Imagine the poor folks going home peacefully, only for some assholes to disrupt their day. The thing pisses me off, no lie. The messed up part is the problem is deeper than that. There are soo many people who dont want to go back to their own country because of security, people that can be very useful to the economy.. its sad sha!
Haba Naija..we shall not stop to pray sha...
I thank God for safety sha..I hope the 2 models are fine sha??
@ lINDA, THANK GOD THAT YOU WERE ACCOPANIED BY THOSE GIRLS ALLOWING THEM TO MAKE YOU TO TURN ON THE RADIO.
@ NYEMONI, I AGREE IF THE PROBLEM IS REGULAR AND ON THE SAME BRIDGES THEN WHAT IS THE GOVT DOING TO HELP PEOPLE BE SAFE. DAD MAN.
@ LOLA I READ ABOUT YOUR ORDEAL, SORRY AND I AM GLAD YOU ARE OK. BE STRONG IT INSPIRES OTHERS LIKE ME TRYING TO MOVE TO NIGERIA.
Dis is just really baaaad. So, dem no dey come rob for house again, na for bridge now. Where else? Owanbe parties? Airports? I can't even think of dat right now
Linda baby, i hope u're ok now and i hope your models got home safely too, pls keep us updated about it. Take it easy, don't let dat get u down ehn. But why u no ask Mr F to go with u now, abi e dey work?
thanks everyone.the girls got home safely thank God.i didnt get home till this morning.im never passing that bridge again at night. its really sad this is happening in this country...at 8pm?thats not a late hour to be driving is it? its crazy.
EKO BRIDGE IS VERY UNSAFE AT NITE, I AM HAPPY UR OK LINDA.
this is so sad. this is what nigeria has come to. i have heard before that robbers rob people in traffic jams there in 9ja. Obasanjo should do something about the poverty rate in nigeria. thats y we have so many robbers. So many university graduates without jobs. Enewayz, that dosen't excuse robbing & terrorising innocent citizens.I do hope no one was hurt in that attack
Na Wa o.
Thank Goodness u are safe. Smart move not going on that nite. better safe than sorry they say.
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