No fewer than 20 dare-devil armed robbers invaded Jamade Street, Opposite Goshen land, a sub-community of Apete in Ido Local government early Thursday morning, inflicting deep matchet cuts on more than six persons, carting away valuable properties.
Sources in the communities stated that the robbers arrived around 1am and robbed more than ten houses including the house of deputy Photo Editor of the Guardian Newspaper, Mr Najeem Raheem, whose son, Faruk fainted as a result of the iron rod used on him by the men of the underworld when he put up resistance.
His father, Najeem, had escaped by the whiskers from the attackers but the wife was not that lucky as she was matcheted on her hand.
A student hostel was also attacked in the area where no fewer than four students sustained matchet cuts with others inflicted with varying degrees of injuries.
While the police were called severally. according to residents, they reportedly did not get to the location until 1:30am, though the distance between the Divisional Police Station, Apete to the crime scene is about five minute drive.
Investigations revealed that the house of an Islamic cleric, who rears cows in the neighborhood, Alhaji Adekunle, the house of a Lead City lecturer and that of another staff of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) were among those robbed.
Some of the victims stated that the thieves, mostly young boys distributed themselves to the houses, stealing laptops, phones, cash and also destroying valuables.
The physically disturbed residents stated that the entire Apete, and particularly Yidi-Arola and Ariyibi communities have been under attacks by thieves since the partial lockdown of Oyo State due to coronavirus pandemic.
They called for security deployment to the area.
A resident of the community who pleaded anonymity stated, “The police that came were even blaming residents, asking them where they got the phones that were stolen by the thieves. This is the least we expected from police who said they are our friends. In fact some people called 615 released by government and other numbers. We didn’t get response. No fewer than 40 houses have been attacked with not less than 30 persons sustaining all sorts of injuries after losing valuables in the last one month”.
Dayo Ojelaru, one of those who sustained matchet cuts on his legs, described the experience as harrowing.
Faruk, the son of the Guardian deputy Photo Editor has, however, been revived and was sleeping at the time of filing this report.
His father stated, “I thank God I didn’t lose my son and wife. They came in through the fence and stormed my compound. My wife sustained matchet cut and my son was hit with iron making him to lose consciousness. We called the police but the response was not encouraging. The Commissioner of police needs to deploy more teams to Apete community and Yidi-arola for regular patrol. These are serial attackers. We can’t sleep with our eyes closed anymore. Governor Seyi Makinde also needs to see to this rising insecurity. We have turned ourselves to night guard. We are suffering the bad economy and the government must protect us. We need more police presence in Apete, Yidi-arola and Ariyibi. A good government must be able to protect the lives and properties of her citizens”.
