We all like free rides, who doesn’t? It saves us some money, which can then be spent later. But this calculation almost got some students in trouble. Please read on to get the full gist.
Last Friday at Aguda, Surulere in Lagos; an all-female kidnap syndicate abducted some students after they had offered them a free ride. They convinced the students that they would take them to their school, somewhere on the island, but zoomed off towards Orile/Mile Two part of Lagos.
There are parallel accounts as to how it all happened.
The first account has it that the eldest of the abducted students, a Junior Secondary School (JSS2) girl raised the alarm when she noticed that the route taken by the kidnappers was different from their regular route to school. At this point, they told their abductors to take them back to where they picked them, but these did not respond.
This was the moment she started crying and shouting, until they got to Salvage Bus Stop at Orile, where their cries got the attention of some area boys, who approached the abductors and asked them where they were going. This was their golden opportunity to call for help, this they did by informing the men about their kidnappers. Sensing trouble, the kidnappers immediately sped off until one of the car tyres got burst after they ran into a pothole. But they continued moving until they were caught at Abu street.
While the second account was that the students were all kept in the boot of the car, that repeated bangs from on the boot was what got the attention of curious commuters at Orile who chased after the vehicle. They reportedly stopped the car and demanded that the boot be opened for them to ascertain what was inside.
When they noticed that the student had been abducted, a mob descended on the three women and attempted to set them ablaze, but for the timely intervention of policemen from the Orile Police Command Division. The mob though, succeeded in setting their operational car ablaze.
Whatever the true account, it highlights the danger of hitch-hiking – that is, accepting free rides from strangers. It is dangerous because you do not know what their intentions are.
Have you had similar experiences, or know someone who has? Do share such with the community, and let’s learn from them.
