A mild drama was staged at Amakohia Uratta in the Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State on Monday as robbers ordered their victim to use his wheelbarrow to convey his stolen belongings to a place where they parked their operational vehicle.
The robbers were said to have taken away some of the belongings of their victim before ordering him to convey them in his wheelbarrow, from where they were transferred to the waiting vehicle.
The victim, Nnamdi Madubuko, who hails from Ubulu in the Oru West Local Government Area of the state, told PUNCH Metro that the incident happened around 1.27am.
Madubuko stated that the three armed robbers gained entry into his residence, ordered him, his wife and three children to lie on the ground before gathering his plasma TV, CD player and speakers, table top refrigerator, mobile telephones, gas burner, cylinder and an undisclosed amount of money.
He said, “In the wee hours, I heard a noise of door breakage and the armed robbers entered my house. We were ordered to lie down and very quickly, they started removing the items.
“We did not make any noise, because they threatened to shoot if we made any noise. I only rose from the forced slumber when I was asked if I had a wheelbarrow.
“With my wheelbarrow, I was forced to convey my belongings outside my residence and near the road, where they parked their operational vehicle.
“On getting there, I was told to help them put my belongings in the vehicle. But because there was no light, I couldn’t see the brand of the car they used or their faces.
“I packed my stolen belongings into the motor and they told me to go back with my wheelbarrow. On my way back, they drove off. They were professional and fearless as they carried out the operation without fear of molestation.”
Madubuko added that the robbers told him after he had helped them in packing the items into the vehicle, “Thank you, Mr Man for doing business with us,” before they sped off.
When contacted on the telphone, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Orlando Ikeokwu, said he was not aware of the incident.
“The matter has not been reported to me. I have not been briefed on it. The best thing is for the victim to report the incident to the police, because if we eventually find any of the items, he cannot lay claim to it,” Ikeokwu added.