It's the civilized thing to do, you know - The 10-Ring

Those lucky people in Lagos, Nigeria: their crooks are so polite that they deliver written notices of their upcoming robberies, so folks can properly prepare for the occasion.

The practice has become common recently in that city of 13 million, where armed gangs frequently break in doors or bust holes in walls, then rob every single apartment or residence in a block. Crime has gotten so non-productive, though, since few people keep cash around, the crooks have taken to warning residents to keep some money on hand to be stolen. Otherwise, victims are beaten or shot for "being miserly."

In one recent case, a gang hand-delivered written notices to all residents of a block of apartments, announcing they were coming the following week, saying, "We are coming to Block 31 to rob each flat and no flat will be exempted."

Many residents moved out for the week, but Bolanie Ljikelly, like many others, just sighed, put 650 naira, about $5, in an envelope, and waited.

The 47-year-old teacher and her five kids were snoozing when eight armed crooks used sledgehammers to break through her wall, unnecessarily because she would have let them in the door. Two hours later, every apartment in the block had been ransacked and robbed. Shortly thereafter, the police showed up, presumably with doughnut crumbs on their shirts.

See, even though the Lagos police were authorized in June to "shoot all known criminals on sight," they can still make a better living the time-honored traditional way-- taking bribes from the crooks to look the other way. Cross Lagos off your vacation list, folks.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Publishers' Development Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group