Dangerous trend of one chance in Lagos

Lagosians have been deprived of their money and other valuables through robbery inside commercial buses, an operation referred to as one chance. Ayeleso Oladele reports on the experiences of some of the victims.

ONE of the most frightening experiences residents of Lagos State will not want to have is, what is popularly referred to as one chance. In fact, Debola, a banker, who left his office around 9 p.m on a particular day and became victim of the so-called one chance.

The fear of one chance is the beginning of closing early from the office but the question is, can it be stopped?

In the last three years, the trend of one chance experiences in the state had been on the increase. Any one that falls prey and is still alive to tell the story, has cause to give thanks to God for sparing his or her life.

Recently, a colleague narrated his ordeal as he fell victim. According to him, he had left office around 10 p.m. On getting to Oshodi, there were a lot of commuters anxiously waiting for vehicles.

Suddenly, a taxi, Peugeot 504 parked to drop some passengers. Though initially skeptical about the car, the journalist, known as Eric, concluded that the car could not be one of such vehicles being used for that purpose. Reluctantly, he boarded the vehicle together with one other person.

“There was no reason for anyone to think that those I met inside the car could be evil perpetrators. My mind was already at home because I had a lot to do at home and time was already against me.

“So, I didn’t think along danger line, not until one of them shouted and demanded for his gun.

“They parked for the operation and I was seriously beaten as I was next to the person that carried out the operation. The other passenger had already dropped everything he had, so they did not beat him but they gave me the beatings of my life.

“After they had collected all the money I had on me, including Sony Ericson camera phone, they did not stop beating me. When they were about to go, I was left with no money. They dropped two of us by the road side. It was when I pleaded that they gave me N150 for transport”, he narrated.

Another victim, Mr. Adekunle Mike, one day bade his wife and the children good bye with lots of promises. Little did he know that the day was not going to end on a good note. If he had known, he would not have gone out at all, but as luck would work against him, he did and fell victim of one chance.

Speaking with Lagos Life, he said, “it used to be one ugly experience that nobody would want to experience. When I discovered that I was right in their hand, I knew only God could help me. For about 15 minutes I spent in their car, I experienced hell on earth because I was coming home with a substantial amount of money and my laptop which I bought on credit.

“A man that I think would be in his early 30s, rough handled me. I thought of trying to resist him with the hope that someone could come from no where to help. “He slapped me and I cried. This was despite being dispossessed of all my belongings just because they believed I proved to be too difficult for them to handle”, he said.

Mr. Akintunde Mike, an account clerk in a private secondary school in Lagos, while narrating his ordeal to Lagos Life said “to drive your car in Lagos, expect someone to smash your windscreen or side glass in order to gain access to your car looking for what he did not keep there.

“To board a public bus, should as well be given a second thought for the fear of one chance.” According to him, Lagos State government should rise to find a lasting solution to this problem once and for all. “Is this how we will continue? That was how my sister was pushed out of a bus recently while coming from church service in the evening.

It was a pathetic one from Mrs. Funke Adetoba. She narrated how one chance spoilt her joy during the 55th annual convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. According to her, she had gone to the Redemption camp with the aim of receiving God’s blessings but unfortunately, on getting to the camp, she received a call from Lagos to come back immediately.

Getting there, she was told that her elder brother working with a micro finance house had died after being a victim of the same evil act while coming back from office together with colleagues.

Lagos Life reliably gathered that the man was pushed out of the bus at Bariga in Lagos after the robbers had collected everything he had with him. His colleagues told Lagos Life that he hit his head on the floor and this led to his death.

One disturbing factor over the trend of one chance in Lagos is that in spite of several suggestions made by victims of this ugly incident for others not to fall prey of them, it is one heart-breaking news or the other.

The moment their tricks are discovered, one would see that along the same route, when another incident of such happens, it is another trick that the victims would fall for. Some people have suggested that people should stop boarding small buses at night, because according to them, the act was prevalent with small buses. Others also suggested that one should watch the countenance of those in the bus, the conductor and the driver before boarding it.

Another suggestion made by some of the victims of one chance was that passengers should stop boarding buses except at their park/terminus. This, they said, would enable the victims return to the motor park in case of such event to trace the bus and make reports.