October 9, 2008

Robbers on the rampage on Lagos Island, kill two

Different gangs of armed robbers operating on motorcycles on Wednesday caused a stampede on Lagos Island as they went on the rampage in some areas.


Photo file
Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro
Two persons, whose identities could not be ascertained as at press time, were reportedly shot dead by the robbers.

The confusion forced many banks, especially on Victoria Island to beef up security around their premises, while some others hurriedly closed to customers.

One of the victims was reportedly killed by the robbers near the Yoruba Tennis Club, Onikan, while the other was killed close to some banks on Victoria Island.

The intervention of mobile policemen attached to Police Mobile Force 2, Keffi, led by Mr. Patrick Ejedawe, a superintendent of police, later led to the arrest of two of the robbers.

One of the suspects, who identified himself as Ifeanyi George, was paraded before journalists while drenched in blood at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, shortly after he was arrested.

Amidst groaning and requesting for water, George told journalists that he was operating on motorcycle with one Sherriff.

One of the victims of the robbers‘ raid, Bolarinwa Segun, said he was robbed of N410,000 in front of a bank located on Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, shortly after he withdrew the money.

He said, ”I have been to some banks where I was turned back. They said they were not attending to customers because of robbers. I later found one (bank) that opened to customers at Akin Adesola.

“I withdrew the money and kept it inside an envelope before putting it inside a polythene bag.

”Immediately I stepped out of the bank, a guy ran towards me with a pistol and snatched the money from me. He quickly mounted a waiting motorcycle and ran away. Some commercial motorcyclists who witnessed the scene from a safe distance mobilised and pursued them.

“Mobile policemen around Falomo joined in the chase towards Onikan roundabout before they veered towards MUSON Centre where they had a collision with a Toyota Corolla car.

“A mobile policeman shot one of them but the rider escaped. They recovered some of the money.”

The robbers, THE PUNCH learnt, stationed themselves at different spots close to the bank premises with the aim of robbing unsuspecting customers.

A top police source told our correspondent that policemen initially had difficulty in arresting the suspects because they (the policemen) did not want innocent citizens to be killed in the process.

Another Booted from Top Model's Body Beautiful


And now there are seven, bringing the collective weight of the remaining America's Next Top Model contestants down by at least 30 pounds.
Find out whose award-show-faux-pas picture was not in Tyra Banks' hands at the end of tonight's episode…
Unfortunately, Lauren Brie Harding didn't just turn blonder this season—she got blander, too.
Targeted for her waning personality and mannequin-like presence, the 20-year-old student from Virginia (second from right) became the latest aspiring catwalker to be eliminated from ANTM.
Tyra & Co. spotlighted Lauren "It's just me" Brie's inability to convey any emotion in recent weeks during photo shoots and, despite the fact her I've-fallen-and-I-can't-get-up Fiercy Awards pic showed a beautiful girl, the judges started attributing L.B.'s success to the hair-and-makeup guys instead.
Almost run out of town, meanwhile, was Sheena Sakai, who's been slipping in the judges' eyes from week to week. (They obviously don't care that, so far, she's the nicest girl in the house.)
The buxom Harlem resident is a good-tempered, willing listener—and she promptly toned down the hooch appeal when Tyra asked her to—but she let her eyes get away from her tonight in her someone's-stepping-on-my-dress photo.
On a more promising note, Marjorie Conrad's nerves got the best of everyone else for a change. The wide-eyed fille won tonight's pose-off challenge—utilizing her bird-like limbs to evoke a starving French girl a more appealing Hunchback of Notre Dame—and was rewarded with an $8,700 diamond pendant from Rafinity, a prize she shared with Analeigh Tipton, who picked out a $3,200 peace sign necklace from the L.A. jeweler.
The oft terrified-looking Marjorie also kicked butt when she took to a bathroom stall to pose as an award show attendee who had to pee but couldn't quite maneuver out of her full-length gown.
Another favorite from the photo shoot, despite not being able to zero in on a "signature pose," was Analeigh. The adorable Sacramento, Calif., native fully embodied the role of bitchy interviewer and she finally got Paulina Porizkova to admit that the girl is model material.
Also still in the running to go abroad in two weeks, not to mention become America's Next Top Model, are Joslyn Pennywell, who recaptured some of that early-cycle magic in her someone's-wearing-my-dress photo; boxing enthusiast McKey Sullivan; runway flasher Samantha Potter; and control queen Elina Ivanova, who cried for goodness sake and still couldn't sell emotion in her film.
So, are you surprised that Lauren Brie took a bow this early in the competition? Who should walk the runway plank next week? Was Tyra really known that much for her fierce stare back in the day? They walked the walk, now you talk the talk...