Residents Cry Out Over High Rate Of Thuggery

By Solomon Odeniyi

Residents of Kolawole, Plantation and Oke Sango in Osogbo, Osun State capital have lamented the alarming rate of thuggery in their areas. 

They claimed that some individuals, who they described as thugs numbering about fifty flock around in the area of late to cause mayhem.

The thugs, according to the residents, have been going about waylaying residents at night and robbing them of their valuables, adding that those who refused to cooperate with them were being injured.

A victim of one of such attacks who operates a Beer Palour joint in the area told our reporter that those thugs have now left thuggery for robbery, adding that the situation was getting worst day by day.

Recounting her ordeals, the victim said, “When they attacked my shop, they were armed with dangerous weapons. They sent everyone on their heels, took away the new phone I just bought,  they broke my chairs, over a dozen of them as well as my glass cups of about three dozens.

“As a result of these, my customers have fled and my sales have dismally dropped. These thugs are now growing wings.  They are everywhere in the town now, perpetrating their devilish acts. They have been burgling shops, and carting away valuables in Osogbo”.

The victim who, for fear of being attacked again refused to give her name, attributed the spate of attacks witnessed of late to the double standard of the police, saying anytime they are arrested and released, they do worst things.

Another victim who owns a boutique, Muyideen Aniya said he came on Monday morning to see that his entrance door was broken and his wares emptied.

He said: “I had just stocked up my shop over the weekend. I was looking forward to resume on Monday.  I first saw my door broken, praying that nothing happens to my goods, but when I opened to see, I saw that my shop has been emptied. I could not believe what I saw.  They also took away my Voters’ card, and passports, while I found a lady’s PVC in my shop”.

He estimated the cost of the lost goods to be N500,000, saying that he had struggled to put all he had together for the business.

A leader in the community who spoke in confidence because of attack, said, the act was not new to them, saying that anytime the festivity period approaches, criminal activities are always on the rise.

He advised the police to deploy more personnel to volatile areas to avert incessant crime during festive periods.

At Oke Ola, a man was also reported to have been matcheted by the same group and had since been hospitalised at LAUTECH Teaching hospital, Osogbo.