Armed robbers who were fleeing a robbery scene at FESTAC area of Lagos on Tuesday killed a mother and her toddler daughter.
Mrs. Jane Beluchukwu-Ndirika, a nurse and her 14-month-old daughter Nmesoma, were inside their two-bedroom apartment on the top floor of their three-storey building when the bullets pierced through the door and hit them.
Narrating her ordeal, an eyewitness and friend of the deceased woman said, “My friend could not get help almost an hour after she was shot, because the robbers were still on shooting spree.
“It was terrible. They took their time. I cannot even explain, I do not know what to say. But I can tell you that my best friend and sister was soaked in blood and in pains for about one hour.
“I do not live in Festac but I came to visit her and was about to leave this morning (yesterday). We have already put my bag outside and I was playing with her son.
“Suddenly, we started hearing gunshots, it was scary, I have never heard anything like that. We peeped and saw people in army camouflage and some in suit. They took their time, and were shooting non-stop.
“The bullets were just sounding from different directions. So, we hid at the back of the door. But the baby started crying and Jane went into the room and carried her.
“The next thing I saw was something that moved like fire and in a very fast speed. The next thing I heard was Jane screaming.
“She called out for help, by that time she had managed to put the baby on the bed in the room. She was becoming weak and going down, so I tried to hold her but could not.
“So, I took one of her children’s clothes and tried to stop the blood flow, that was when I saw a hole on her chest. I was shouting for help but no one could come out because the armed robbers were still there.
“I called her neighbours, who called the police but even the police did not come. The armed robbers were there for about one hour after shooting. My friend was soaked in blood. The baby’s blood also soaked the bed.
“I watched my friend die and I could not do much to help her. Please do not even talk about police because they did not come out.
“The armed robbers took their time; they were loading bullets into their guns and were shooting and discussing among themselves.
“From this room, we heard them shouting and telling their colleagues to come out first; it looks like they were just enjoying themselves without interruption,” she said.
The robbers who wore military fatigue raid two banks in the Festac area.