A 13-year-old boy was saved by the timely
intervention of some officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management
Agency (LASTMA), from certain death as angry traders at the popular
Idumota Market were bent on setting him on fire after he was caught with
stealing in the market.
The
young lad who is said to be the leader of a gang of street urchins
terrorising traders in the market, allegedly confessed that keeps guns
for senior armed robbers who collect them from him anytime they are
going on an operation.The boy who was beaten with all manners of weapon, told the traders that he was forced into stealing after his parents abandoned him.
“I was born in this market. My father and mother are also selling in the market, but they don’t cater for me. I roam about to eat and fend for myself. About 40 children sleep with me in shops at night. We wake early to leave the shops before people start coming for business.
Sometimes last year, while I was playing football with other children, some guys from Jankara area called me and gave me a gun. They said I should help them keep the gun.
They also called one of my friends called Daniel and also gave him guns to keep. We hid the guns in our clothes.
There was a day that they took us to Agege to rob. Daniel and I kept the guns they used for the robbery operation that day. They have taken us to other places to rob too. They don’t give us anything."
