There are four pedestrian bridges between Dutsen junction and Arab road entrance into Kubwa. These bridges were constructed to assist residents of Kubwa to safely cross the express. Under it, also serves as bus stop for passages going to Wuse-Berger, AYA, Dei-Dei, Zuba and other smaller destinations off Kubwa Express.
Unfortunately, these bridges have become also safe heaven for criminals. The most popular crime under the bridge, is one chance. Because of the absence of public transportation in FCT, many residents of Kubwa have been victim of this. The most notorious bridges for this one chance crimes are Federal Housing and NNPC. They operate mostly early in the morning and late at night, when visibility is hampered by the unlit under bridges.
A victim of this crime, who reported to the police, was disheartened when she learnt that the police is aware of these flashpoints and are gleefully claiming that there is nothing they can do. Between Federal Housing and Chambian Plaza Gwarinpa, she was robbed of her belongings, including ATM card. With massive punches to her head and choking of her throat, she divulged her PIN and these criminals cleared money in her account before she could get to the bank by 8:am
This lady is not the only recorded victim of criminals operating on and around Kubwa pedestrian bridges. According to Tunde Oguntola of Leadership Weekend, Samuel Ugobo, a 37-year-old private security operative who resides in Kubwa, lost N42, 000 and his phone in just one night while using the pedestrian bridge to cross safely.
According to Samuel, “my phone was forcefully collected from me at gunpoint by hoodlums at Kubwa Bridge. Afterward, I received a debit transaction alert via email at night after several attempts to reach my bank’s customer care service using my wife’s phone failed.
‘’I do not know how the criminals got my pin or the phone password. Sadly, I just received my salary, and they withdrew all the cash in my account using a POS. Even though I still use the pedestrian bridge to cross safely to avert being hit by a moving vehicle, the memories of how I was robbed on this bridge can’t be easily forgotten,’ he said.
Apart from pedestrian bridges in Kubwa, Oguntola further reports that NICON Junction is as unsafe as Kubwa.
A student from Edo state, selling wares at Nicon Junction pedestrian bridge, who preferred to be addressed as Nosa, explained that on several occasions they have gotten the report of how young ladies became victims to hoodlums on the bridge.
He said that the hoodlums target mostly females who they believe do not have the strength to fight back when they are attacked.
Nosa said that heard of an incident where two girls were raped on Nicon Junction Bridge when they appeared unwilling to let go of their valuables and wanted to fight back. He said that on most occasions the hoodlums are more than three in numbers to ensure that they are successful in the horrific operation.
“Sometimes, when they want to operate, they come to us late on the bridge and tell us to leave that it is late already, so we should close. If any of us try to argue with them, they will attack that person with knives and even steal our wares. Most times we have to close for the day if we see them.
Majorly, their targets are mostly females, even if the ladies are walking in numbers on the bridge at night, they will attack them and dispossess them of their mobile phones, money, wristwatches, and other valuables.
