Yesterday, Sunday, December 6, 2015 will always remain an unpleasant and unforgettable day for Michael Effiong, Editor of Ovation Magazine.
Around 9.30pm, and while returning from an event, a gang of robbers descended on him around Maryland, Lagos, beating him blue and black and also snatching his SUV, a gray Volkswagen Tiguan, alongside other personal effects.
The robbers did not stop there as they equally collected his ATM card, got his password and with him still in his SUV, drove to a bank in Surulere where they emptied his account. From there, they embarked on a robbery expedition, snatching different cars, increasing their convoy along the way and injuring many with their guns, till they eventually pushed him out of the SUV along Oshodi/Apapa Expressway. From where he later managed to find his way home.
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s newly equipped Rapid Response Squad was notified thereafter and so far they’ve been able to recover the SUV from where it was parked in Badagry. Efforts are also on going to arrest the robbers said to be over four.
Unfortunately, as at the time of locating Effiong’s SUV, his international passport, numerous vital documents, phones, laptops, IPad, etc had disappeared. And that still gives him so much concern because of their sensitive nature. Meanwhile, in a chat with YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine just minutes ago, the beautiful writer and one time Editor of Encomium Weekly only managed to quip: ‘ I just thank God that they spared my life…but it was a very, very nasty experience’.