By Naseer Mijinyawa
Some hoodlums who are specialists in snatching of handbags from ladies in some areas of Minna metropolis have been on rampage creating fear in the minds of residents.
The hoodlums who are within the age bracket of 15 to 20 move in group with dangerous weapons such as jack knives and cudgels have been on rampage in the last two weeks dispossessing ladies of their bags containing vital belongings.
It was gathered that the hoodlums carry out their evil minded activities after taking some hard drugs like indian hemp, tramadol, and other dangerous intoxicants.
Equally, it was observed that they usually attack innocent residents of Minna in their houses forcing residents to pat with their handsets, laptop and any other belongings while wielding knives and cutlass in the wee hours of the night and in broad day light.
So far, the criminal elements have subjected residents of Angwandaji, Kpakungu, Limawa Maitumbi, and Tunga area of Minna to horrible traumatic experiences as no fewer than 9 persons are lying critically injured in Minna General Hospital receiving medical attention as a result of the attack on them in their houses.
According to an eye witness who does not want his name in prints, the activities of the teenagers have become a serious security threat to the residents of Minna.
“We are living in fear of attack and if urgent step is not taken, it will turn to another security challenge in the State capital.
“We have armed banditry attacks already and these youths are now becoming terrorists in the State capital.”
“Honestly, if nothing is done to bring these boys to book, it is going to be another security challenge in the State”, a resident said.
Our correspondent further observed that apart from snatching of personal belongings, these criminally minded elements engaged themselves with their dangerous weapons attacking each other resulting to death of 4 persons among their rival group of Maitumbi.
In one of their dangerous attacks on Friday, these hoodlums took over the streets of Minna in their large numbers, creating serious tension along the popular Bosso road forcing motorists to take one way, as they vandalized parked vehicles, they were also seen carting away provisions from shop owners along the streets.
They smoke indian hemp freely on the streets even in the presence of the combined team of police and men of the Niger State vigilante corps who have become helpless as they cannot stop them from further attack on innocent citizens.
In similar activities carried out by the hoodlums in the early hours of Sunday along the Kuta road by Obasanjo commercial complex directly opposite the Police Area Command, they took over the street wielding knives, cutlasses and cudgels creating vehicular gridlock on the street, while residents scampered for safety.
Throughout their operation which lasted for over four hours on Sunday there was no response from any of the security agencies as they had a field day holding every person in the street to ransom.
