Return of robbers on motor bike in Imo

A forthright ago residents and people doing business around Item by Mbari Street junction in Ikenegbu Layout in Owerri metropolis experienced an armed robbery incident in which a woman was dispossessed of her hand bag by two suspected armed robbers as they rode past her on a motor bike.
The woman was said to be heading towards Diamon Bank located at Item Street probably, to do some transactions before her handbag was snatched from her according to the woman’s lament.
In the handbag were her Automated Teller Machine (ATM), card, some cash and other personal belongings and the ugly incident, according to eye witness accounts happened at about 11:00am, in broad day light.
It beats one’s imagination to realize that while the ugly incident was in progress, some security operatives, precisely, policemen in uniform who were stationed at the junction were in their duty post, and could not put up any resistance.
What every rational human being should ask is this: could it be that the state security network is no longer functioning as we have so many formations like the Imo Community Watch (ICW), the Imo Security Network (ISN), the Imo Civil Guard (ICG), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to mention just this few, in addition to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF)?
It should also be acknowledge that this type of robbery incidents by hoodlums on fast moving automobiles like motorcycles and vehicles, some of which have government registered numbers and colours while some are private ones take place in various parts of the state like Ifakala, Nwaorieubi, all in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, Douglas Road, in Owerri Municipal Council and other areas as well.
Again, is it possible that the government ban on motorcycle operation in Owerri metropolis has been lifted without the knowledge of the citizenry?
When we consider some of the present administration’s programmes as they concern security, urban renewal policies, etc, all in encapsulated in the programe, “Imo my Pride”, it leaves much to be desired that inspite of these programmes on ground, people still suffer such nuisance as had been cited above.
It should be recalled that the post administration led by Chief Ikedi Ohakim explained that ones of the reasons that made it ban motor-cycle operation in Owerri metropolis was this factor of hoodlums using it to commit a lot of crimes, including the one cited in this write-up, in addition to it being, a death-trap and a fast lane to the grave.
We also understand that although the state government banned the use of motor-cycles as a commercial means of transportation, security operatives were allowed to use them, perhaps for easy access to some areas difficult for people to enter and as facilitators to doing their work in terms of timely delivery and arrival in their duty posts and work.
We hereby suggest that rather than using them for impersonation and putting the masses into confusion by the intrusion of these hoodlums, government should consider placing a total ban on the use of motorcycles, at least in Owerri metropolis and find a way of checking these criminals who smart it out by using officially registered vehicles to prey on innocent citizens.

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