Anxiety has gripped Ibadan residents over new tactics of Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers in Ibadan, Oyo State, who have resorted to writing to residents to inform of their attacks.
The unusual letter by the robbers caused panic in Olorombo community in Bashorun area of the state, who had written to the community to prepare for invasion.
In the letter posted on gates of targeted buildings, the robbers warned residents to be expectant.
The hoodlums instructed the people living downstairs of a particular building to keep their money, jewellery and other properties for them or be prepared for death if they failed to yield to their request.
Crying for help, the occupants disclosed that they had no jewellery, money or valuable goods that could attract hoodlums in their neighbourhood.
The letter reads: “To Whom It May Concern, This is to notify every member of this house that we are coming to the house anytime from now.
“Kindly make available all our properties in your possession. Your phones, money, jewellery and others. Failure to produce this will get your lives and the lives of that downstairs.”
The owner of the house, Bashorun Bamidele, said he discovered the message pasted on his gate at dawn, on his way to the mosque at about 5:30 a.m.
He said: “About 5:30 a.m., I saw the letter pasted on my gate, I went away and because it was a bit dark I couldn’t read it, coming back one of my tenants saw the paper there and reported to me.”
Residents urged government and relevant security agencies to provide security operatives in the area.
Chairman of the landlords association in Zone A, Ayiki said people can no longer sleep with their eyes closed in the area as a result of the letter.
He appealed to the state government and security agencies to come to their aid.
