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For breaking into a house whose occupants had gone to church for Sunday worship, two teenage burglars – Gbenga Olatunji and Segun Ojo – are currently cooling off in a police cell in Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State.
On May 8, 2011, when Tunde Ayanda, a medical doctor, had gone to a hospital in Tanke, where he works, and his wife, Adetola (also a medical doctor), had gone for Sunday service at a Pentecostal church in the town, Olatunji and Ojo (both 18), allegedly burgled their flat and that of their neighbour, Pastor Tayo Busari. The pastor had also gone for Sunday service at another church in Ilorin when the incident occurred. Narrating the incident to CRIME DIGEST on Monday, Tunde said the robbery suspects broke into their flat and carted away cash, electronic gadgets and medical equipment they had saved money to buy. He said his wife, who returned from the church service, alerted him of the robbery and he later reported it to the police.
According to him, the police promptly swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and recovery of some of the stolen items.
Tunde said, “On May 8, 2011, I was called at work and later my wife called me. She asked me whether I sent some people to come and work at the house. I said, ‘No.’ She then said that the burglary (proof) of the house had been removed and some things were missing in the house. They included cash, medical equipment, DVD, laptops and some handsets that we left at home. She said she went to Church.
“They raided the house. She called the police. She later called me back that they had raided the other flat. She called our neighbour; our neighbours also went to the church and were on their way home. On my way from work, I branched at a police station and reported. The police accompanied me but when we reached my house, the robbers were not there. The robbers went away with our valuables.
“I went back to the police station at Tanke and made a statement. We heard that robbers had been raiding the area. Ours was the third time that I am aware of. The police later started their investigation. On Monday, the police invited us to identify some of our laptops, which they got from the robbers. We identified our own laptops.”
Adetola, who is currently on her National Youth Service Corps assignment at a medical centre in Ilorin, said the incident scared her. She called on the government and security agencies to beef up security in the town so as to secure lives and property.
She said, “That day, I came back from the church. I was not really in the mood to stay long. So, after the church service, I went to my mother in-law’s place and later came back home. On getting home, the door was locked but immediately I opened the door, I noticed that the legs were torn apart and the burglary proof was torn ajar. In fact, I was almost confused. Things in the rooms were scattered. I called my husband and asked whether he sent someone to come and work at home. But my husband said, ‘No.”
“The pastor who also fell victim is our neighbour. Her house was also robbed. I really felt insecure. If these robbers had come in the night, what would we have done if they were armed and supposing they had met me at home too? The government and security agencies should try and fortify the security of Ilorin.”
The Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Dabo Ezekiel, had on Monday said the police arrested the suspects, who admitted committing the crime. He said the police recovered some items.
Ezekiel said, “On May 8, 2011, the members of a notorious group that specialised in breaking into people’s houses were arrested by the police at Tanke. The duo of Gbenga Olatunji ‘M’ of Mogaji compound, Tanke Area, Ilorin, and one Segun Ojo ‘M’ of Offa Garage Area, Ilorin, conspired and broke into the houses of Dr. Ayanda Tunde and Pastor Tayo Busari on Sunday when they had left for service.
“Investigation conducted by the police led to the arrest of the suspects who confessed to the commission of the crime. When their houses were searched, stolen items like two laptops, medical equipment, mobile phones, DVD players, window blinds and clothes were recovered from them.”
The suspects, who said they came from Kogi State, stated that they had gone in search of oranges when they noticed that the occupants of the house had gone out. They confessed they had broken into the house and stolen some items and advised young people not to indulge in such an inglorious and ignoble act.
Olatunji said, “I am from Kogi State. I attended a secondary school in Ete, and I dropped out in SSII. We went to look for oranges. On our way going, we discovered that there was nobody inside. We went to steal. We were two. We went in the morning around 10 on Sunday to their house. They were not in the house and they locked the door. We entered there. This is the first time we are involved in this act.
The second suspect, Ojo, said, “We went and broke into a house. I do not know why we did it. I do not like my situation now. I advise all robbers and house breakers to stop it. It is not good. I dropped out from a JSSIII in Kogi. I am from Kogi State.”
Source : www.punchng.com
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