Residents Raise Alarm Over Perceived Criminal Hideout

By Modupe Omotoso

Residents of Ade Festus and Ajobo streets of Gbodofon area, Osogbo, Osun State capital have raised alarm over some abandoned buildings in the area, saying that the structures have the potentials of posing security threats.

Some of the residents who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER called on the government to find a way of addressing the threat, by demolishing some of the structures, which are due for it and compel the owners of the houses to design a way that would make the structure not to pose security threat to the people.

A resident, Deaconess Modupe  Akinlade said, “leaving structures like this pose serious danger to the security of this area and we must be security conscious.

“I don’t know why the owners of these buildings will leave the structures empty like this at the detriment of the residents of this area for such a long time.

“This place can automatically serve as a hideout for criminals and besides the security threat it poses, some of them can collapse at anytime and either kill or impose injury on many people”.

She hinted that owners of some of the abandoned buildings were dead and their relatives have left the building unattended to, saying, “One of the buildings, owned by a late school principal was rented out by his children after the demise of their father, but the tenants have left and since then, nobody is taking care of the house”.

She appealed that the government should help the residents over the abandoned buildings, which he noted could be a hiding place for evil doers.

One of the landlords in the area, Mr Gideon Fasorepo lamented that a part of one of the buildings at Ajobo street collapsed recently and no relative of the owner of the building has come to the place, hence it has become bushy.

“We have been victims of armed robberies in our street, and you can’t tell, one of those abandoned houses might be their hideout.

“We have contacted some of the people we know to be the owners of some of the houses, but only one out of many have come around to clean the surroundings”.

He then called on the government to quickly intervene to guarantee security of lives and properties in the area.