In what will come across as a really startling development, some armed hoodlums on Thursday night attacked a line editor with Punch Newspapers, Oladimeji Ramon, dispossessing him of his mobile phone, wristwatch and wallet containing cash, a First Bank ATM card and driving licence.
The incident happened at about 9.30pm at Magboro Bus Stop, Ogun State while Ramon and another Punchman, Abiodun Sanusi, were on their way home at the close of work.
While the machete-wielding hoodlums, numbering three, including one waiting on a bike, swooped on Ramon, Sanusi, amid the confusion, was able to dash across the expressway, escaping to safety.
Talking about the incident, Ramon said, “The hoodlums came out of nowhere and swooped on us with a machete raised. I readily surrendered my mobile phone and wallet to them while they hurried off to join their gangman waiting on a bike on the expressway. They immediately zoomed off, riding against the traffic on the Lagos-bound lane. The entire episode lasted barely about three minutes.
“Thankfully, I was able to eventually block my bank accounts before the hoodlums could gain access to them. However, it was disappointing that it took nearly one and a half hours to be able to block the accounts, as response after several attempts was ‘service unavailable’ or this ‘service cannot be completed at this time’. I think the banks need to do better, for the sake of emergency situations like in this case.”
Ramon said he reported the incident at the Warewa Police Station on Friday afternoon.
