AS the ‘ember’ season steadily commences, motorcycle thieves have started rearing their ugly heads in Ogwashi-Uku metropolis, our correspondent reports.
One of the victims of the motorcycle robbers, who was identified as Uche from Ebonyi State was reportedly murdered and his motorcycle stolen.
He was killed somewhere within an area where Winners Church is located at Edo-Otulu road, Agidiase quarters in Ogwashi-Uku metropolis.
A security source, who confided on our correspondent, said the victim was shot on the head at about 10pm on the fateful day and bled to death.
Further information revealed that his body was recovered in the morning of the incident by security agents following a tip off by a Good Samaritans.
According to the local security source, the deceased was reported to have struggled with the robbers as they tried to take the motorcycle away.
“I think that was why he was shot on the head. He died on the spot and was in the pool of his own blood when security agents recovered his body.
“But the most agonizing thing is that the motorcycle they snatched from him was said to be an old one. If it was a new one, people may say it was because it is a new motorcycle. It is most unfortunate,” he said.
Recall that in the ember months of 2023, several commercial motorcycle operators fell victim to motorcycle thieves within the metropolis.
Our correspondent had reported that no fewer than 15 persons lost their motorcycles to robbers within the period.
Sources revealed that the thieves, who normally operate with motorcycles, were often in a group of two or three. “What they normally do is that one of them will go to the roadside and pretend to be passengers.
“When they have identified the motorcycle they want to snatch, which in most cases are brand new ones, they will lure the motorcycle rider to a lonely place where members of their gang will be waiting.
“And this area where the recent victim was killed and his motorcycle made away with is one of the hot spots for criminals. Several persons lost their motorcycles to the thieves in that vicinity.
“The deceased motorcycle rider was operating late at night. Why should someone operate up till 10pm at night”, the source observed.
