THE RISING TREND OF BURGLARY AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES IN UI

by – Alao Abiodun

It’s quite pathetic and worrisome to see and hear about alarming increase in theft cases and shop burglary by unknown robbers who are perpetrating nefarious activities causing sadness and pains for the individuals affected (shop owners and student) in the university community. The crux of the matter is that there is need for urgent security concern and attention before it degenerates into a complex phenomenon. The ubiquity of these unknown men into these shops burglary still remains a mysterious mystery and dilemma.

It’s crystal clear and quite obvious that Nigeria has many social problems and one of these problems is the menace of robberies, no month passes without cases of armed robberies in the country, this is indeed very disturbing and worrisome. University of Ibadan community as microscopic aspect of the larger society for a period of aeon now has been faced with masquerading crisis of unknown individuals ransacking shops in some halls of residence. This year timeline of the nefarious and acrimonious activities of these individuals is quite disturbing; this should send a strong signal to our men in brown shirts that it is getting worse day-in-day-out before we begin to experience high profile cases of criminal activities in the university community.

Early this year, in the month of January, before resumption, as students were basking in the euphoria of resumption and the frolic season, there was a case of simultaneous shop burglary carried out in Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall and Independence Hall where shops were ransacked thoroughly. A popular shop known for its beehive of indomie-egg resort in Independence Hall called Jay grills got burgled by this marauders carting away valuable items worth more than 120,000 thousand naira. In a conversation with the shop owner, he was quite embattled over the situation because he had just stocked his shop with items before the unannounced visitors axed his business. Similarly, on 19th May 2017, a thief was caught in Mellanby Hall and was almost lynched to death by the angry students.

Moving further, series of cases of burglary were recorded, Sultan Bello Hall was not left out in the ordeal of the marauders. Few weeks ago, the Almighty Obafemi Awolowo Hall known for housing our “dear amazing women only” experienced terror from armed thieves who carted away valuable properties. Another robbery scenario simultaneously occurred yet again on Wednesday midnight, 16th of August 2017. Unknown thieves raided two popular shops in the Great independence hall carting away valuable items, money and goods. The shop owners; Mama Funke and Mama B were victims of the unfortunate incident. The shops situated in Block A adjacent to the supervisor’s office and beside the Independence Hall Junior common room were silently burgled without signs of jacking of the padlocks but with the use of spare keys as posited by the shop owners.

While speaking to one of the shop owners, Mama Funke, she registered her displeasure over the unfortunate incident, she lamented bitterly about her properties which was carted away by the unknown thieves such as recharge cards worth more than 30,000 naira and other items. When she was quizzed further about if the security personell were aware of the situation and the hall management, she said they were quite complacent but nevertheless, she has accepted her fate because her she has never experienced such in her shop.

In all the trends above, there are still many other shop burglary cases not mentioned for the sake of brevity because some shops/halls have become customers of these annoying and heartless thieves. The fundamental question is why is all these unfortunate events happening when students are not visibly in their halls? Still quite mysterious, so the question is who gets the blame? The University security unit? the hall porters? Or the hall marshals? Or is there an emerging trend of cultism?

Well, just as a proposition, all over the civilized world, security forces develop new strategies to combat crime trends, criminals tend to work extra hard than men of the law to outwit society. As a result, security forces never go to sleep, they fashion out ways and means to protect the citizenry. Currently, large numbers of Uites have little faith in their security personnel. There is need for the University security unit to step up, reform and strengthen its surveillance and monitoring duties. Apart from other scourge of activities, it is heart-rending that this issue is already an evolving trend, while these shop owners are going about their legitimate business; armed robbers are always at their doorsteps and in their path causing them pains.

Although, crime has been with mankind from creation, there are increasing categories of criminal deeds that are really baffling, senseless, often shocking and vicious. Ever since Cain killed Abel his younger brother in a classic case of homicide in the Garden of Eden, the world has not known peace and as thus been oscillating from one horrendous crime to another. It is therefore highly expedient and necessary for the university security unit to take a drastic and spontaneous actions before these unknown men surreptitiously move the university closer to what could be described as hobessian state where life could be short, nasty and brutish. The courage and tenacity often exhibited by these individuals are baffling.

These marauders are not ghosts, they are humans; security should be seen as a common responsibility of all and not regarded as something for the security professionals only though. Well, Biblically speaking, security and safety are of the Lord; the horse, says the Holy Bible is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord.

 

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