There’s a rise in food-related thefts in Ilesa, WITHIN NIGERIA gathered. Residents disclosed that thieves regularly break into shops and private residences to steal food items like Indomie, onions, garri, rice, beans, yams, and eggs.
A shop owner also narrated how thieves consumed alcoholic drinks like Seaman and Gbefun and dropped nylons on the floor after carting away eggs, rice, and spaghetti.
In this report, we also looked into claims that have not been confirmed that thieves break into homes of aged people and cook and eat their preferred meals.
Biodun, a 23-year-old young man, had gone to his father’s house to deliver an impromptu message when thieves broke into his apartment. The Ilesa-born tech guy reportedly met his broken padlock on the floor when he got home around 6:20pm on a Saturday evening.
A rather terrified Biodun rushed into his apartment to count his losses, but he was surprised to see his laptop on his sofa chair and all electronics intact.
While conversing with WITHIN NIGERIA, Biodun claimed that he was thanking God for not recording any loss when he discovered that his new 66000 mAh power bank worth N75,000 was missing.
According to Biodun, he called his close friend who had earlier visited to confirm if he had unknowingly taken his power bank, but he responded negatively, claiming that he left the power bank on the table before leaving his apartment.
“I searched everywhere, but I could not find it. I also could not find my gold necklace and Apple Watch. I resolved that the thief only stole those items until I walked into the kitchen and I met empty plastic containers. The carton of my Indomie was emptied.”
“Plastic containers that were filled with rice grains were emptied. Eggs, onions, and two rolls of dry peppers were gone. My refrigerator, which I recently filled with soft drinks and two bottles of vodka, was emptied. I was only left with a small quantity of garri.”
A rather sad Biodun told WITHIN NIGERIA that he stocked his kitchen with food items after receiving a payment for a project he handled some weeks ago based on the advice of his mother.
The story of Biodun is not different from the harrowing tales of Fisayo Adeyemi, whose shop was burgled and whose goods, mainly food items, were carted away. Fisayo, while lamenting her losses, disclosed that the tragic incident happened six days after she took a loan of N50,000 to support her petty trading.
Fisayo, while recounting her experience, disclosed that heavy rainfall did not allow people living around the shop to detect the burglary and food theft.
She disclosed that her padlocks were lying helplessly on the ground when she got to her shop on Tuesday morning.
According to Fisayo, thieves carted away food items such as rice grains, beans, onions, Maggi, salt, eggs, garri, rolls of Peak milk, and Bournvita.
She further disclosed that they were nylons of alcohol drinks such as Seaman, Gbefun, and Strikers that had been emptied on the floor of the shop.
“They stole N2500—proceeds from a charcoal sale I kept inside a book. They also stole N3000—proceeds from a Ponmo sale. They took some drinks from my freezer.”
“I have informed the chairman of the community. I also notified some people too. I did not go to any police station because I can’t suffer two losses. There is nothing the police would do. I accept my fate, but it really troubles me.”
Fisayo recalled that she was burgled some months ago, but they (thieves) were not able to penetrate into the main shop. However, they (thieves) carted away crates and empty bottles of Trophy, Goldberg, Coke, Fanta, and 7Up in a closure that is situated in front of her shop.
Segun, a 27-year-old resident, also narrated how his apartment was burgled and food items were carted away during the day.
According to Segun, these thieves broke into his apartment after he left for work.
“I got home and discovered that they had removed the padlock on the door leading to my kitchen. They emptied my store, leaving two gas cylinders, pots, plates, and cutlery. I was completely dumbfounded because I saw some used plates in the basin.”
Segun, who resides in Ijoka, told WITHIN NIGERIA that they (thieves) did not touch his laptop, electronics, or even the power bank he had plugged in due to unstable electricity.
A popular pepper seller simply identified as Ibrahim, whose shop is located directly opposite Bonke junction, was not spared. Thieves broke into his shop and carted away two sacks of tomatoes and rodo (red pepper).
They stole onions too, a rather sad Ibrahim disclosed while conversing with WITHIN NIGERIA. When asked if he reported the incident, he revealed that he notified other traders in the axis. ‘I did not report the matter officially. I hand over the culprit(s) to Allah’, Ibrahim stated.
Bolanle, a petty trader, while conversing with WITHIN NIGERIA, narrated how thieves broke into the house of an old woman and cooked and ate their preferred meals.
The incident, which happened around 10:30pm, according to Bolanle, appeared to her like a Nollywood movie.
She disclosed that those thieves, who were four in number, did not hurt the old woman but rather reportedly joked with her during their operation.
“They did not hurt her. They broke into her room, gagged her, and took her to the kitchen. They cooked rice and stew. They ate and took the leftovers in a plastic cooler. They washed their plates and prostrated to appreciate her before leaving,” says an excited Bolanle, who claimed Mama narrated the story to her.
She further disclosed that the old woman lost her husband two years ago and her children live in the United Kingdom.
According to Bolanle, her children employed the service of a woman who cooks and cleans the house to make living more comfortable for her.
“The woman (helper) does not sleep in the house. She leaves around 6pm or 7pm depending on the type of meal she’s preparing and how fast it is. Two people have lived with Mama but ended up leaving the house.”
A social media commentator, Adeniran Ezekiel, while reacting to the rise in food-related theft, cited inflation, hunger, and unemployment as causes.
According to Adeniran, there’s an urgent need for the government to fix the economy and tackle inflation and unemployment.
“Crime is not new. The rise in food-related thefts is the new challenge. It bothers me that most culprits are youths. Men who are able-bodied and supposed to be useful in farming or industry are breaking shops and homes to cart away food items.”
While expressing worry over lack of trust in the police, he charged security officials to be dutiful and responsible and build a working relationship with the people for a safer society.
He also urged government at all levels to partner with stakeholders and privileged citizens to create employment opportunities via business, trade, or industry to reduce the rising index of unemployment.