EXCLUSIVE: Ondo residents decry rising theft by scavengers, seek govt intervention

By Boye Oyeyemi

Residents across communities in Akoko, Ondo State, have raised alarm over increasing cases of theft allegedly linked to scavengers, urging authorities to urgently address the situation.

The residents lamented that individuals who claim to be collecting scrap metals have now turned to stealing valuables from homes and business premises.

In Nigeria, the trade of scavenging involves the procurement of scrap materials, especially iron and plastic, for reselling to manufacturing and recycling companies.

In an interview with Western Posr, a food vendor, Titiloye Bidemi, said her livelihood was affected after scavengers allegedly stole a cooking pot essential to her trade. She said, “They took my steel pot used for cooking, and it disrupted my business. This has happened repeatedly in the area, and it is no longer ordinary scavenging but outright theft. The government needs to act fast.”

Another respondent , Mrs Bello Janet, a trader, narrated how suspected scavengers loitered around her residence before iron rods later went missing from her compound. She said, “They claimed to be looking for scrap, but after sending them away, I discovered some items had been stolen. Since then, I no longer tolerate their presence around my home.”

Also speaking, a resident of Ikare-Akoko, Mr Samson Olajide, alleged that some individuals gained access to his compound under the pretext of scavenging before stealing car parts he had stored. “It was when I noticed some items missing that I realised their true intention. I later apprehended one of them, who was handed over to the police,” he said.

Similarly, a motorcyclist, Ablegod Francis, described the trend as widespread, alleging that scavengers now steal both metal items and goods meant for sale.

He added that the development had heightened fear among residents, therefore highlighting the need for urgent steps to be taken to regulate scavenging activities in Ondo State.