A gang of five children aged between 12 and 14
have been caught at Idofin Elega, Abeokuta, Ogun State, for burglary.
The children allegedly scaled the gate into a
shop in the community around 12am on Friday.
They reportedly carted away foodstuffs from the
shop, but were caught by members of the Oodua People’s Congress in the area.
The kids were subsequently handed over to the
police at the Adatan station.
A video clip of the incident was shared on Facebook
by one Bola Alao-Ogbu on November 5.
While being questioned in Yoruba by residents,
the children blamed their action on maltreatment and hunger.
None of them reportedly lived with their parents.
One Musa, who identified himself as the leader of
the gang, said he fled from an Arabic school, where he lived, due to
maltreatment.
He said his friend, Oloyede, brought the idea of
the burglary.
Musa said, “Oloyede and I were passing by one
day. He pointed at the shop and suggested that we should go at night to steal
from the shop. Around 12am when people had slept, we entered the shop.
“My parents live in Ajegunle (a neighbouring
community). They took me to an Arabic school in Isage. But my friend, Yinusa,
and I were maltreated at the school and we fled. I have never had formal
education.”
Oloyede said his mother was late and he lived
with his paternal grandmother in the Itoku area of Ogun State.
Another kid, Yinusa, said he started living in
the Arabic school after his mother died.
Another child, Tunde, stated that his father
lived in Lagos, while his mother resided in Soyoye, Abeokuta.
He, however, said he lived with his grandmother.
The fifth child, Adeola, also said he was not
living with his parents.
Social media users, who commented on the post on Facebook,
said the children should not be blamed for the crime.
While some took a swipe at their parents, others
attributed the misdemeanour to government’s indifference to the welfare of the
poor.
One Idris Odunlami, wrote, “…If you listen to the
children very well, you will see that none of them has a good parent. Their
parents are separated, while some of them are staying with grandmas or alfas
who have responsibilities to take care of. People just give birth to children
they can’t take good care of.”
Another poster, Abiola Babatunde, also put the
blame on the children’s parents, saying the suspects were products of broken
homes.
A Facebook user, Yetunde Olanrewaju,
said, “This is a result of broken homes and poverty in this country. If you can
see these children, they are hungry; no parental care. They are just sleeping
anywhere. Nigerian government, please do something to help these kids for
better future.”
Adekunle Odebunmi said bad leadership and poverty
were responsible for the children’s action, urging the government to channel
the country’s resources towards the welfare of indigent children.
Austin Paul added, “They were neither thieves nor
armed robbers. They were hungry and when they found that the shop was free to
take what to eat, they got in. Unfortunately, they were caught. I blame the
government. If every family in Nigeria is living well, no kid will think of
taking what doesn’t belong to him or her. At 57 years, we are still hungry in
Nigeria; what a shame on our selfish leaders.”
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer,
ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the children had been taken to a juvenile centre for
rehabilitation.
The PPRO advised parents not to shy away from
their responsibilities by leaving their children in the care of others.
He said, “The children stole some packets of
noodles in the shop and were brought to the station. But because they were
juveniles, we didn’t detain them. They have been taken to a juvenile centre for
proper care and counselling.
“Some other steps are also being taken so that
the children will be useful to themselves in the future and they will not
constitute a nuisance to the society. Parents should know that it is an offence
to abandon their children.”
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