By Sandra Simon
There has reportedly been a surge in petty crimes that have left the residents of Isheri Osun, located in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, in fear.
Street-level offences like bag theft, phone snatching, compound break-ins both during the day and night, stealing of street lights and many more have been occurring frequently at bus stops and streets.
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“For the past two weeks, this menace has been disturbing to everyone one and we have tried involving the police.
“But there is little they could do; you can’t walk freely anymore without being extra cautious of every slight movement,” said one of the residents who wishes to be anonymous.
Another resident named Raji, who was recently robbed of his compound lights, expressed his anger and dissatisfaction.
“I just recently renovated some parts in my house, and not even up to 72 hours of installing those lights, they all went missing. Until today, there has been no news concerning that matter,” he said.
Some witnesses and traders in the area narrated that most times during the day, the criminals strike fast in smaller numbers, but at night, they come in their full gang.
“I have experienced one in front of my shop. Thankfully, the youths acted quickly and dealt with him before handing him over to the police.
“What pains me most is that these criminals are mainly young teenagers and youths,” a foodstuff trader popularly known as Iya laje shared.
Due to the high rate of criminality in the vicinity, the community leader, including landlords, local leaders, and vigilante groups, has expressed their concerns and is working towards improving and promoting security measures in all streets and bus stops.
The chairman of the landlords association, Mr Jeremiah, assured that a lot is being put in place to maximise the security level.
“Enough is enough; we would go all out to get those involved in this act,” he said.
Police officers at the Isheri police station confirmed that they have been getting complaints on issues like this, especially having to arrest erring youths caught in the act.
A 16-year-old boy whose name was not disclosed was taken to the station by the Isheri Osun division for burglary after being caught with stolen phones.
One of the inspectors, known as Inspector Sule, stated that it is heartbreaking to see young ones engaging in such a devious act.
He said, “I can imagine the pain their parents are going through, but this is something that can be curbed if there is proper home training, because the ones caught so far come from broken homes, and it plays a major role in promoting such acts.
“We are super vigilant this period and are ready for anything.
Despite all these, the residents of Isheri Osun feel that more needs to be done to curb the rising tide of petty crimes.
There is a palpable sense of frustration and fear, with some residents voicing concerns about police-community relations, citing instances of alleged extortion and intimidation.
Many are hopeful that the authorities will take the necessary steps to curb the menace.
The post Lagos: Isheri Osun residents living in fear as petty crimes surge appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
