While many Nigerians, especially Christians besieged various Churches to pray their way into the New Year 2024, some hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers, seized the occasion to invade some houses and carted away numerous properties.
The men of the underworld were said to have organised themselves into groups and simultaneously broke into people’s homes in Osogbo, ransacked the nooks and crannies of their houses and made away with their belongings worth millions of naira.
Mostly affected is Tinumola Estate in Osogbo where many residents lost their property to the burglars.
At some houses, the suspected robbers damaged louver glasses and removed burglar proofs to gain entry into the affected buildings.
Among the items stolen by the marauders were food stuff that the victims kept to cook for the New Year festival, clothes, equipment and machines, wall clocks, beads, goods and other expensive belongings.
One of those affected in the area is a human rights activist, Citizen Lola Wey, whose house was broken into, ransacked and burgled.
The hoodlums broke louvers and carted away property worth over N3 million.
“I visited the house penultimate Saturday to pick up some documents from my office, but I was surprised after I got inside the house and started seeing some of my items on the floor. I got suspicious and decided to check inside but I was shocked to discover that my valuables and those of my parents had been taken away.
“I had given a non-governmental organisation a room in the house to be used as an office. But, recently, the NGO packed out of the apartment. It was after the NGO exited the building that I discovered that the house had been burgled.
“Most of my goods, designer clothes that I brought for sale, sewing machines and other empowerment items that I stored in the house were taken away. The police had visited the house and promised to do diligent investigation into the attack,” Wey told The Point.
When The Point visited the area, other residents narrated how they met their rooms scattered after returning from their various crossover services on the eve of the New Year.
“I and my family members had gone to Church to pray for the New Year before we discovered that robbers had invaded our house. We found the house ransacked. Our pot of soup, food stuff and other belongings were taken away.
“I think the evil doers took advantage of the desolation of the area on the night of December 31 when most people, especially Christians are expected to go to church to celebrate the New Year.
“They have made the new year celebration a sour one for us because our belongings were carted away. They broke through our window and damaged the burglar proof before gaining access.
“We reported the matter at Dada Estate Police Station and we hope that the police will apprehend the robbers and bring them to justice,” a tenant in the area lamented.
The Point also gathered that areas including Fagbewesa were robbed in the capital city by the hoodlums.
