Olawale Olayiwola, an employee of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Oyo State, has narrated how some armed robbers hiding inside an uncompleted housing estate attacked him and his family members.
Olayiwola, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said the robbery attack took place on July 18, 2020 at the Owode Housing Estate Phase II, leaving him with injuries that required medical attention at a hospital.
He explained that the abandoned housing estate located along the Apata-Ibadan expressway in Oyo State had been left to decay for over 20 years, providing a hideout for criminal elements.
“Two people came with masks and demanded we open the door. We tried to inform our neighbours but they started removing the burglary of the window and immediately they entered our apartment, they used axe to injure me and my wife before escaping through the window to other houses to rob.
“My wife spent three days in a private hospital while I spent 19 days at UCH. In fact I was operated on my arms and legs.
“Among things carted away by the hoodlums including thousands of naira, office identity cards, driver license and my voter card.
“It is the neglect of the housing estate that was responsible for our danger in the community.
“The hoodlums are taking advantage of the abandoned property to attack residents. We have tried several times to reach the Oyo State Government but to no avail.”
President, Owode Estate Phase 2 Landlords Association, Oluwole Oyewole, confirmed the attack on Olayiwola, calling on the Oyo State Government to immediately take over the abandoned property.
Director of Information and Public Relations, Oyo State Housing Corporation, Kunle Sanni, said the corporation had warned those who had lands in the estate to develop them with immediate effect.
He said that anyone who failed to develop their land would forfeit it to the government.
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Source: SaharaReporters
