Suspected armed robbers cart away N10m goods in kwara

By Correspondent in Ilorin

Suspected armed robbers have carted away items worth over N10 million were from a clothing and accessories store in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

The Reporters Correspondent gathered that the suspects stole several clothing items like designers’ shirts, chinos and jeans trousers, men’s and ladies shoes, men’s suits, and some other clothing accessories from the clothing store, popularly known as “a la mode”, located on Umar Audi road, opposite old Broadway hotel, GRA, Ilorin.

Lamenting the loss, the owner of the store, Mr. Woye Aladegbola, said that it was only his clothing store that was burgled in a row of shops along the road.

He also said that men and officers of the security agencies he reported the matter to at both the ‘A’ and ‘F’ Divisional Police stations were yet to give any development on the matter,as at the time of this report.

The young entrepreneur, who said that such incident could discourage investment, called on the state government and the security agencies to improve on security matters in the state.

“It was only my shop that was burgled, while the burglary case was reported at F division station of the Nigeria Police and the state command of the Nigeria Security of the Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ilorin,”he said.

He added that he had been in the business for over 10 years, after he resigned from globacom telecommunications company.

“The burglary incident happened on July 6, 2021 at about 6:30 a.m, when my landlady, on her way to work, surprisingly noticed that my store had been opened.

She said she moved closer to see, who could have opened it at that period of the day and was taken aback to see how everything had been scattered and saw that it had actually been burgled. She later alerted me that my store had been burgled. And I rushed down.

“The worth of items carted away is around N9.8 million and with other fixtures it amounts to about N10 million plus some fractions aside other items not on insurance which were also carted away.

Aladegbola,who said that police had not made any arrest on the incident, expressed disappointment on the efforts of the security agencies on the issue.

“When I reported at the A division of the Nigeria Police, an officer followed me down to the store and there was nothing whatsoever yet afterwards.

“It is so sadden that what I have laboured for,for the past 20 years, after leaving University, was just carted away within hours of a day, all my entire savings. All what I can say is,what will I sustain my family with;as all is gone within a twinkle of an eye.

“To encourage business owners in the state, I want to call on government and security agencies to assure the people of adequate security and protection.

“Imagine that my store is opposite the main road and just a street separates it from Senator Bukola Saraki’s residence, adjacent former CBN deputy governor’s house and a minute drive from Commissioner of Police official residence.

“These are places of prominence and important dignitaries, where the store is located. It is on a highway where there should be security patrol. I don’t understand why almost all items in a store could be packed.

“They must have come in a lorry and throughout the period it lasted, no patrol. It shows there’s poor security issue in the state. And till now, the police have no clue to the matter.

This could really discourage investment. As it is I don’t know if I could continue with the store because I wouldn’t want such to happen again.

The onus is on government to provide security. I’m an employer of labour. I had to lay off some of my staff. This should not be allowed to continue or else the rate of unemployment and crime will continue to rise,” he said.

Speaking with newsmen, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),for the Police Command in the state,SP Okasanmi Ajayi, said that he was yet to get the report on the development from the Divisional Police station concerned.

The Police spokesman, however, promised to look into the matter toward conducting investigation that would unravel the perpetrators of the crime.