Osun Govt Begins Distribution Of Looted Items To Owners, Embarks On House-to-house Search To Recover More Items

By Ayobami Agboola,Osogbo

Osun state government on Thursday commenced the distribution of looted items in the state to their respective owners at the State Government House in Osogbo

About 20 percent of the stolen items have been returned following the 72 hours amnesty given to the looters by Governor Gboyega Oyetola to voluntarily return the looted materials in their custody or face a full wrath of the law.

The Governror who had earlier inspected some of the recovered loots warned looters still in possession of stolen items to return them before the commencement of the house-to-house search by security agents on Thursday.

The Secretary of the adhoc committee on recovery of stolen items, Mr Samson Owoyokun, who handed over the items to the owners, said the looting affected fourteen local governments.

He said the recovered items were dropped by the looters and the committee have been going round to pick them.

Some of the owners according to Owoyokun have identified their properties at the government house, Osogbo, where the recovered loots were deposited.

He explained that Governror Oyetola, being a peace lover, had given the looters opportunity to return their stolen items in their custody.

Owoyokun, who commended the governor for his unique ingenuity towards ensuring that the looted items were returned voluntarily by the looters, expressed optimism that the remaining items would be recovered .

Owoyokun who is the Special Adviser to the Governror on Special Duties re-echored the Governor’s position, saying those who refused to embrace the offer of the government would face the full wrath of the law.

“To the Governror, this voluntary return of the of loots is a welcome development.

“The intention is to assist the various owners of these items to have the opportunity of getting their properties and belongings because we believe strongly that it is going to be a big setback for them to have all these properties lost.”

Warning the looters, Owoyokun added, “What they should realise is that, there are a lot of video clips and video coverage for all the looting that took place in the state.

“The implication of this is that there is no hidden place for anybody that looted anything in Osun. We are going to embark on door-to-door search to recover the remaining stolen materials, Owoyokun said.

Speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Osun Health Insurance Agency, Dr Adeniyi Oginni, whose his agency was vandalised and looted completely by the hoodlums said they recovered just about 15 percent of the looted properties.

He expressed sadness that many properties of the scheme were also vandalized during the attack on Saturday.

Oginni described the 72-hour amnesty as a very critical factor in the recovery of the stolen items.

It was like a malicious attack on the agency. Apart from the things that were carted away, many things were vandalized.

About fifteen percent have been recovered. Though, some of the electronics like flat TV have spoilt. There is a very critical aspect of our properties that have not been recovered. Our server, all our computers (both desktops and laptops). We have not seen any one of them.

He commended the Governror for the instructions he gave that those in procession of the stolen items should return it , saying some of the items that were carted away on Saturday, 24th of October, included electronics, ICT equipment, office furniture and medicines.

He appealed to citizens to cooperate with the Government of the State of Osun in providing quality healthcare system under the Osun Health Insurance Scheme, by notifying the law enforcement agencies promptly at the sight of electronic equipment, computers, printers, furniture, generators, refrigerators and drugs belonging to the State, adding that citizens have a role to play in putting a stop to the wanton destruction of the Commonwealth of the State.

Speaking on behalf of Senator representing Osun Central, Dr. Ajibola Bashiru, one of his aides, Mr Bisi Babalola, confirmed that some of the properties carted away in the Senator’s house have been identified.

He said about forty five percent of the motorcycles, deep freezers and sewing machines have been identified among the returned loots.