Extortion, Harassment By Thugs Pervade Osogbo

• Louts Operate On Bike, Target Students, Innocent Looking Individuals
• Traders To The Rescue
• Police Vow To Arrest Ugly Trend

Ismaeel Uthman

There is an ongoing threat to residents of Osogbo, capital of Osun State. 

Some louts and thugs have been constantly extorting and harassing the residents, especially those who are on commercial motorcycles known as okada. 

The thugs who are usually three in number also operate on bike with which they dispossess their victims of their belongings.  

OSUN DEFENDER noted that students, youth, suspected internet fraudsters known as Yahoo boy and innocent looking individuals are always the target of the louts and thugs.

Besides, the thugs have also embarked on extorting petty traders on the roadside, forcing them to part with their money or have some of their properties seized. 

OSUN DEFENDER’s investigations which lasted three-month established that the thugs are a new breed in the  state, spreading across the state capital.

It was gathered that the louts and hoodlums have syndicates among the commercial motorcyclists who would carry their passengers through routes where they will be sighted and extorted. 

Investigations revealed that the thugs have positioned themselves at some strategic areas and will immediately trail the commercial motorcyclists upon sighting somebody they want to extort. 

The thugs usually forced the bike-man to stop and aggressively asked the passengers to give them money or give away any disposable property with him or her while sitting on the motorcycle. 

In many occasions, the thugs would display gun or other dangerous weapon to threaten their victims and force them to do their biddings. 

OSUN DEFENDER noted that majority of the victims are youths, either male or female who usually plug earpiece in their ear or put on headphone while on bike or walking. 

Other victims, according to findings are some innocent looking individuals who dressed flashy, and some ladies believed to be women of easy virtue. 

Areas where the daily extortion and harassment are rampant, according to findings, are Odiolowo, Alekuwodo, Okonfo, Rasco-Old garage, Otaefun, Isale-Osun, Oke Ayepe, Obate, Omo-West and Ogo-Oluwa axis of Osogbo. 

OSUN DEFENDER had witnessed 13 difference incidences of harassment and extortion by the louts and thugs between May and August, 2023. 

Of the cases witnessed, five occurred at Odiolowo-Jaleyemi axis, two at Rasco-Old garage, one at Ogo-Oluwa, two at Okonfo, two at Alekuwodo and two at Otaefun. 

Two young girls carrying a carton of noodles on motorcycle were flagged down by three thugs on another bike at Odiolowo, sometimes in July this year.

The thugs attempted to snatch the noodles they were carrying but the girls resisted as they shouted on top of their voices. 

It took the intervention of the Chairman, Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC), Comrade Waheed Lawal, and other people in the area to free the girls from the hoodlums. 

A male student of Osun State University was extorted by two louts who forced the motorcycle carrying him to a halt at opposite a hotel, Odiolowo, around 4pm, on June 17. 

The thugs collected a sum of N3000 from the student and the earpiece he was putting on.

Also, two young men were extorted at the front of Punch Office, Odiolowo, on Friday, August 4, by some thugs who waylaid them immediately they dropped from the motorcycle. 

The young men were compelled to transfer a certain amount of money to one of the thug’s account when the victims insisted that they had no cash on them. 

On August 27, OSUN DEFENDER witnessed the extortion of two ladies by louts at Rasco area, Osogbo. The thugs crossed the motorcycle carrying the ladies and they were asked to give out money or their jewelries. 

When the ladies were complaining that they do not have money, one of the three thugs shouted at them, saying “Isn’t that iphone 13 with you, you better give us money before we change it for you.”

The ladies eventually gave the louts some money as the medium watched from distance. 

One of the food vendors at Olaiya area of Odiolowo had to seek intervention of journalists when some louts numbering about seven besieged her place and demanded for money, threatening that they would descend on her if she refused. 

Narrating her ordeal to the medium on Monday, a member of National Youth Service Corps, Miss Naimat Oyindamola, said: “My friend and I were harassed last Friday by some guys at Okonfo, around NACOMYO school, Osogbo. The guys demanded money from us; and we told them we didn’t have money. They insisted on collecting money to the extent of suggesting we transfer to their account.

“My friend and I were already shaken; luckily for us, another friend of ours who is a male met us there and he pleaded with the guys, promising that he would see them some other time. The guys told us they have marked our faces; they threaten to deal with us if we failed to give them money as promised.”

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola said the State Police Comman will swift to action and arrest the ugly trend.

Opalola assured residents of the State Capital of their safety, urging them to report any harrasement or extortion to the nearest police station.