Wale Jagun
– As his law office burgled, several items carted away
A fiery lawyer and human and community activist, Barr. Shakiru Omolaja, has raised alarm over the activities of the Hausa boys, popularly called ‘Bola’ boys, who are involved in scrap business in Ikorodu.
Barr Omolaja, who said that the vandalisation of his office, Shakiru Omolaja & Co. , would cost him about N300, 000, resumed to his office on Saturday (August 22) morning to the shocking discovery that the office building with about five offices and other rooms have been burgled while the properties inside the building were vandalized.
According to the lawyer, suspected vandals, who were said to be Hausa boys dealing in scrap materials, allegedly vandalized the cables used in wiring the law firm and the ceilings, while television set and other items were also allegedly carted away.
It was also gathered that the Office complex had been previously invaded with two generator sets stolen.
The popular lawyer, who described the incident as a vicious and conscious attack on his property, wrote about the burglary and posted it on his Facebook page alongside a video documentary of the scenes of the vandalisation and these have since been generating reactions from the public.
According to the lawyer, the incident has been reported to the police.
“My Law office has been burgled again by Hausa ‘Bola’ Boys/Scrap Sellers. Extensive damage was done. It will conservatively cost about N300K to reinstate the office. The video here documents the details of the burglary. Cases such as this are quite common throughout Lagos State”, Barr. Omolaja wrote on his Facebook account.
In the video on his Facebook platform, Barr Omolaja stated that the intruders entered about five offices and vandalized his properties after gaining entry into the bungalow office complex through the ceiling.
In the said video, Barr. Omolaja was seen moving round the offices to record the various scenes of the vandalisation.
“The suspected “Bola” Boys gained entry into my office by breaking the ceiling (pointing to a broken ceiling outside the bungalow office building). They caused serious havoc after gaining entry into my office”, he lamented.
“They also broke into the ceiling from this place (pointing to another point where the ceiling was broken). You can see their footprints on the wall (pointing to the footprints on the wall). They removed ceiling fans, removed air conditioner cables, other heavy cables and sockets. They cut all the cables on the wall.
“They came to this box here and vandalized the general switch box to the office. They cut all the cable thoroughly” he said in the video
“Also, they broke the ceiling to enter another office and vandalised the television set, removed the ceiling fan and they also broke into this place (conference room) where they also removed the cables supplying electricity to the building and ceiling fan which they took its rotor away”, he added.
“They also broke into this place (a place that looks like a waiting room). I don’t know what they were thinking because the fan here is still on (at the time he discovered the vandalisation). They also removed cables on the wall. Serious damages were done. Serious damages! ”, Barr. Omolaja stated while again lamenting the extent of the damages done to his office by the suspected vandals.
“I will have to do a complete rewiring of the entire office all over again.
“This is where we have the control cable for the submersible machine. They removed the entire cable but left the fan. They also broke the ceiling here too”.
The legal practitioner also stated that his own personal office was ransacked and vandalized along with other three of his colleagues’ offices that are also within the office complex.
“They entered my colleague’s office, Quadri Abojukoro, through the ceiling and also removed the cables from the wall.
“These are my new losses that I have suffered and it is a heavy loss. It is a heavy loss. You can see how they dirty the walls. They were rather vicious in their attack”, a disturbed lawyer said.
“These are the new losses of Shakiru Omolaja & Co. The last time that they came, they broke the ceiling and carted away two generators, big and small.
“This is Sanya Olu’s office. They removed all the cables. There is no office spared in their attack. I cannot do anything in my office because all the cables have been removed. The entire cables are gone. It’s terrible. They have really been vicious, callous and it is a conscious attack. They had a field day but I will survive it”, he said while examining the damages in his own office.
“They ransacked the entire place. They ransacked everywhere and stole all that were there .
“They would have broken all the doors but luckily, they found all the spare keys in my office to access other offices. Otherwise, the damages would have been more.
“All the costly cables used for the wiring of the offices are gone. They are very costly because I went for the best copper wires. I will survive because I am a winner, any day any time”, he said.
In another video posted on the same day, the human right lawyer also covered a woman who was seen complaining about the activities of the ‘Bola’ boys.
The woman, who was seen identifying her properties at a place where scraps are being dumped by the ‘Bola’ boys, alleged that the suspects stole her properties twice last week.
“This woman’s items that were recently stolen were found with some of the Bola Boys/Scrap Sellers at Itamaga, the same group that burgled my office”, Barr. Omolaja alleged.
“We are bothered to have this group of seriously suspected criminals living in our midst and nobody is able to help us as they keep boasting that nobody can touch them.
“Are they really untouchable? They maintain this shanty here and regularly inflict very terrible attacks on people’s properties”, he asked.
The lawyer stated that the community lacks security.”We lack collective security in our communities. We are all victims”.
He said that suspects arrested have made confessional statements to the police.
“The “Bola” Boys are located rather close to my office. As a matter of fact, those arrested informed the police that they know that some of their colleagues in the environment are responsible for the attack on my office”, he said in his response to another sympathizer.
While responding to yet another person that commented on the incident, the plain spoken lawyer blamed the community head whom he alleged of always taking money from the said boys and allow them to operate within the community.
“What do we expect when the Baale in the area freely collect money from the boys and gave them permission to set up shanties in the area?” he said.
Meanwhile, residents and friends have been reacting to the attack on the property of Barr. Omolaja. Some of the respondents condemned the attack and sympathised with the hardworking lawyer.
Bolanle Olowonyo, in his own comment, lamented the incident /
“Ah, this is wickedness o! Terrible people, see how they destroyed the whole place. God will expose the evil doers. They really had time to carry out their evil deed. God will help you sir”.
Former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu branch, Barr. Saheed O. K. Shillings while also sympathising with his colleague enjoined him to report the matter to the police.
Adesina Olowonyo, in his own comment, said, “I register my sympathy over this great loss, may God expose them, disgrace them, and finally destroy them amen”.
Also commenting, Adeoye Eno wrote, “I sympathize with you sir. These are not just thieves, they came for a mission and God will reward them and their sponsors accordingly. This will soon come to pass sir and you will overcome this”.
Eunice Dada described the development as sad.
“So sad to see this. Please, be consoled. The problem of insecurity of lives and property in our country cut across every place. May God help you to replace the vandalised and stolen properties and also bring the bandits to book”, she prayed.
A friend of the lawyer, Olola Olusegun Iluyombo who also commented, said, “This is a serious incident of burglary and theft caused to the building and property of our dear legal luminary. So sorry about this. Trust property and other relevant insurance policies are in place”.
Akin Kola-Akinlade said, “Sorry for the loss. Please, accept my sympathy. Our fathers have this saying that, “Teni be igi loju. Bo pe, igi a ruwe” . The almighty God will provide for you according to His riches in glory”.
Another friend of the lawyer, Aregbesola Yekinni, also console him saying, “Ore, sorry for the vandalized incident. May God Almighty replenish your purse in replacing the damaged and loss properties while the perpetrators shall be exposed and punished accordingly”.
