Mrs Ronke Kehinde, a style editor with the defunct Compass newspaper, has recounted her experience on how she was almost kidnapped with a flyer.
In an interview, she recounted how she collected a lethal flyer innocently in broad daylight on the streets of Lagos and she was almost kidnapped after that. All thanks to her faulty car air-conditioner!
Read her experience below:
“I was coming from Computer village, Ikeja last week Wednesday, driving towards Ikeja General Hospital. There was a traffic hold-up due to the traffic light under the bridge that was on red at the time. Then, a lady appeared from the blues with flyers in her hand. She was by the passenger’s window, but her hands were already inside my car, holding the flyer to my face. It was property sales flyer. I wasn’t interested, but I took it, because I wanted her to go so I could drive on. At this time, the traffic light had turned green. I took the flyer from her and dropped it on the seat beside me. As soon as I moved, I noticed something strange. I was feeling some sensation in my eyes.
“They were peppery. I looked at the flyer suspiciously and quickly threw it on the floor of the car, because I wasn’t sure if what I was feeling was as a result of the flyer or where I was at that time. I took the roundabout turning beside LASUTH, then connected the flyover near Awolowo House on Oba Akran Road. As I continued to drive, I was feeling so dizzy and uncomfortable. My eyes were getting unbearably peppery. Curiously, as I was getting close to Guinness, I noticed a light brown car following me. There were three men in the car. Anytime they got to my side, in the traffic, they would all look at me intensely.
“It was at this point I realised something was wrong. It was then I started suspecting a set up. I stuck my head outside the window while driving, so I could get fresh air because I was actually choking.
“I suspected that those guys were expecting to see an unconscious woman. The lady that gave me the flyer must be working with them.When they noticed that I was fully conscious because I was looking at them, they stopped following me.”
On her advice to the public, she said:
“I will say people should not read the flyers given to them on the road immediately. If it is folded flyers, they should not open it. They should wait till they get to a safe place before they open it. Some police officers called to rejoice with us, and they offered some security tips to apply in such dangerous situation.
“One of them said the best thing to do is to drive to the nearest police station when you are being followed. He said when they see you driving towards the station they will know that this is a bad market. They also advised that if you already have a suspected flyer or card in your car, please don’t put on the air conditioner of your car. Put down the windows of your car to give room for cross ventilation. If my A/C had not been faulty, maybe the story would have been different.”
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