Some residents of Idimu/Ikotun Road, Lagos State have lamented the increase in criminal activities in their area.
They said the rise in crime, especially burglary, was due to non-functional streetlights installed in the community.
They explained that burglars hid under
the cover of darkness to steal and wreck havoc on the community, adding
that the police had been helpless because the darkness discouraged them
from patrolling the area.
A resident who craved anonymity said,
“For three years, the streetslights have not worked. We have only seen
them come on once, and that was when state officials came to repair
them. That time, we saw some people changing the bulbs. We expected a
change, but nothing happened.
“The streetlights on Oladun and Odogbolu
streets, where a former deputy governor of Lagos State lives, are
functioning. But all the streetlights on Idimu/Ikotun Road don’t work.”
Our correspondent, who visited the area
on Wednesday, observed that some of the poles had lost their bulbs,
while a few were bent. One had fallen on the floor.
A landlord, who had lived in the area
for over 30 years, Mr. Matthew Oluyinka, said he had witnessed no fewer
than three burglaries in the area within two months, which he attributed
to lack of proper lightening.
He said, “Recently, burglars came here,
scaled the roof of a shop opposite my house, went inside the shop and
emptied it. I was in the verandah of my apartment when I saw one of
them. I shouted, but there was no help.
“Last week, they were about removing the roof of a beer parlour when people raised the alarm and they ran away.
“The situation is so bad that sometimes
for two to three hours, thieves would be looting people’s goods and
nobody would be able to come out to challenge them because it is always
too dark and it can be dangerous to come out.
“The police that are supposed to be
patrolling this road every night, you will only find them during the day
time. And it is at night we need them most.”
He said the streetlights problem had
negated the huge investment of the Lagos State Government in road
construction in the area.
Mrs. Kehinde Ogunkoya, who lost about
N800, 000 worth of clothing materials in one of such attacks, said she
had stopped buying foreign materials and would soon quit the area.
She said, “They broke into my shop and
looted it. I lost about N800, 000 to that ugly incident. A neighbour’s
shop was also burgled a few weeks ago. I don’t know how they entered and
did it.
“I am already thinking of quitting here.
What is the essence of buying goods only for these criminals to steal
them? Thieves are not supposed to be disturbing us here because we are
facing the major road.
“I did not bother to report the incident to the police because they will ask for money and will not investigate in the end.”
Our correspondent observed that Ogunkoya’s shop ceiling was lined with iron bars.
When contacted on the telephone, the
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, dismissed the
accusation of insecurity in the area.
“What you have said is strange to me. If
somebody’s shop was burgled; does it mean everybody has suffered the
same fate? And if they did, did they report to the police?
“If there is a crime, the best place to
go is the police station. And if action is not taken, they can complain.
I know the Area Commander in Idimu is a very hard working person. I do
not want to believe that there are such cases happening.
“It is wrong to say because they are
having problem with streetlights, the police do not go there; we patrol
everywhere. Most of the patrol vehicles have amber lights and the police
too have torchlights, so it is not compulsory that streetlights must be
functioning in any area before the police will patrol,” Braide said.
No comments:
Post a Comment