Residents of the Isheri Estate Community at the OPIC section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway are expressing heightened concern over the security of their homes, following an incident in which suspected hoodlums broke into and looted an evacuated property in the area.
It was reported that a wave of fear swept through the neighborhood late on Monday when three young men allegedly forced entry into a building located within Riverview Estate.
After ransacking the property, the suspects attempted to flee by scaling the property’s fence. However, a vigilant security guard on duty spotted them in the act and gave chase.
The pursuit led to the apprehension of one of the intruders, while the other two managed to escape. Items that had been looted from the building were reportedly left behind by the fleeing suspects.
The Chairman of Riverview Estate, Abayomi Akinde, shared his account with reporters, saying he witnessed part of the chase from his balcony.
“I was on my balcony when I heard the security guard shouting ‘thief, thief,’ and by the time I looked, I saw him chasing one of them down the street,” Akinde recounted. “I put on my boots and decided to join in catching the thief. Although I returned because I wasn’t holding anything, I later learned that one of them was caught. He was unfamiliar with the area and couldn’t find a way out. Meanwhile, others abandoned the looted items as they tried to escape.”
The captured suspect was taken into custody by the estate’s security, where he was held pending the return of the property owner.
Akinde further noted that the suspect had injured his legs while trying to evade capture, having been pierced by thorny plants in the area’s flooded grounds.
According to Akinde, after further questioning, the captured suspect led the police to his accomplice, who was reportedly familiar with the area, having worked for a company within the community in the past.
The incident has triggered a new level of anxiety among residents who had previously evacuated due to severe flooding caused by the release of water from the Oyan River Dam by the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Authority.
Another resident, Kingsley, described the apprehension that has set in as a result of the break-in, noting that the incident has made residents increasingly vigilant.
“We were shocked when we heard about the incident because it looked like some hoodlums are trying to exploit our situation now,” Kingsley explained. “Although such things hardly happened during the flood, this has made people more security conscious.”
Some residents, having left the area temporarily, have since made visits back to check on their properties.
Kola Balogun, another resident, mentioned that numerous people who were unable to return have been calling to inquire about the safety of their homes.
“Since the incident happened, people have been coming home to examine their properties to ensure thieves had not broken into them. Some have also been calling to be sure if they were not affected. I have received many calls, too, from people I know,” Balogun shared.
Akinde added that the full extent of any further break-ins could only be assessed once the flooding subsides and all residents return to their homes.
“We have to wait till the flood recedes and when people return to their homes to be sure if there are similar cases,” he said.
This break-in follows a challenging period for the Isheri Estate Community, as they grapple with the aftermath of flooding that forced many to evacuate.
