Back home from a great day at work, I make my self a meal, have a cold bath and put myself to bed. Am soon woken by a terrible dream in which my neighbours apartment is under attack by armed robbers and just as mine was about to be robbed, I woke up in fear and totally unable to sleep any more as the fear lingers on.
If you have never been robbed or experienced a hostile robbery or been in close proximity to such an event then your life must just be great with one less thing to worry about. Everyday, I am constantly scared of the possibility of a hostile attack by an aggressive stranger or group of strangers for the sole purpose of taking from me in which a lot of things might go wrong. This fear has developed from series of events that have happened in the past months.
A few months ago, my neighbour was robbed by a gang of armed robbers, witnesses claim there where over twenty two armed robbers. From our apartment, I and my mother could hear the cries and screams of my neighbours as the robbers tried to gain entry into their very secure apartment. They soon did, sounds of gun shot drove fear down my spine as I thought they actually shot at one of them, possibly the good old teacher , or her sister or maybe even her nieces or nephews who live with her. It was one scary night, we thought we were next but somehow we lived through the fear and despite sharing a fence, we were not attacked. This was just the closest one but there have been series of attacks in the neighbourhood. I was previously attacked by three men on a pedestrian lane who made away with my cell phone as I was with no other valuable item, it was unbelievable that someone was willing to shoot me just so he could make away with my cell phone, this experience has kept me constantly looking over my shoulders every time I hit the road. I have avoided strangers at night ever since as the man who made it possible for me to be robbed possed as tho he needed help with a little amount of money which bought my trust and in few minutes I was in the middle of a hostile attack for the sole purpose of taking.
The state of the economy has had a toll on the masses and so many people have resorted to crimes of all sorts in other to make ends meet, a lot have lost their lives to armed robbers, I remember witnessing the burial ceremony of a promising young woman who died of multiple stab wounds inflicted on her by hooligans in a bid to make away with her cell phone and just recently a boy in the neighbourhood took a gunshot on his mouth while the attackers tried to make away with his properties. All these and more has implanted a seed of fear in my subconscious and despite not being a fearful person am often scared of the nights and the probability of terror that might come with it.
The psychological effects of this events on me has been immense and I can only think of what people who are not emotionally strong go through after such events, it's been months but once again I relive that night again tonight. I don't believe so much in therapy but this once I need to see a councillor or may be somehow get my fears out there which is the primary reason for this post.
I searched but couldn't find a word that describes the fear of armed robbery, but I think it's high time English scholars did create one. I can only but wait for the morning so my fear is taken away but writing this has put my mind at ease to a certain degree. Stay safe!!