Abudu – A lot may not have been heard of the security guard, guarding the building housing Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Edo State Board of Internal revenue offices within Orhionmwon local government secretariat when burglars stormed the government facility at Abudu, in the early hours of Saturday, 16th October 2021.

The brave guard who do not want his name mentioned in print tried to faught off the burglars, but was overwhelmed.

He held one of the burglars tightly, unknown to him that three of his gang members were in the nearby bush.

According to him, he overpowered the burglar who screamed for help, before others emerge from the bush, and he decided to “run”.

He said he inform his colleague who live nearby, and they reinforced, only to meet vandalised offices later.

“Around 3 O’clock on Friday night, i dey duty, i just see one person walk towards the varander, check round, put e hand for pocket, bring out key and put for (one of) the door. I begin go meet am like snake quietly, na im i wrap am with the key for the door, na i tie am well well, so he had comot from the key; as i say make i try bend him neck na he shout. Other persons come dey reply am say who be dat who be dat.

“I quickly draw the key comot and run away; dem pursue me small, na dem stop. I run follow bush go tell who we they work together. Before we reach there around to six nobody dey there again. Dem break two doors, put chair on top table take vandalize the PVC ceiling and cut away all the electric wires and sockets from the offices, then i pack the pieces to report to the (Abudu police divisional headquarters).

“As i reach station station, they (police) say dem don hold dem”, the brave security guard narrated in pigin to The Nigerian Observer

It was gathered the burglars went ahead to burgle a civic centre and poultry farm inside Abudu town.

Luck however ran out of them as eagle-eyes vigilantes in the area trailed them to their hideout where they arrested and handed them over to the police with their loots.

The loots include electrical wires, ceiling fans, generating sets, sockets, mechanical tools and two dead chickens.

The gang, it was further gathered were led by an escapee from Benin prison during the ENDSARS protests last year, identified as Kingsley Godspower ‘M’ 28 years.

Others are Olayemi Okunmaye ‘M’ 25 years, Emmanuel Wisdom ‘M’ 21 years, and Agu Iwerebor ‘M’ 20 years.

They were prosecuted on Monday, 18th October for a five count charge at the Abudu Magistrate court, where they pleaded guilty to a five count charge and were sentenced to jail according to their level of involvement.

Meanwhile, on 30th December 2019 burglars broke into offices in the local government secretariat, carting away properties worth millions of Naira.

The burglars looted the offices of head of department of Planning, Agriculture, Social works, and that of the council branch of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

Items stolen include plasma television sets, air-conditioners, computers, refrigerators, batteries, communication and public address systems.

Many however blamed the situation to the poor security arrangement at the council secretariat.