19th October, 2011
A 42-year-old man from Auchi, Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State, south-south nigeria, has been arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, in Lagos for stealing copies of the Holy Quran.
The man was alleged to be a regular worshipper at the Babsalam Mosque, Joel Ogunaike Street,GRA, Ikeja, Lagos but unknown to the officials at the Mosque the suspect had a hidden motive.
In his confessional statement to the police, the suspect said the problem that led to his present condition started a few years ago when he was working as a security officer and he had no accommodation.But when his father died, his two buildings were shared between the children of the two wives.Since he is the first son and only male child from his mother, he seized the properties given to the second son from the second wife. The two properties, he said, were an uncompleted two-bedroom flat and another 16-room building which he sold for N1.2million and came back to Lagos.
According to him, he settled down in Lagos, rented a mini flat and bought a bus for commercial transport business. After some months,the matter of the house he sold in his village was taken to court but the buyer won the case based on the fact that he was the son of the owner.
He said he spent a lot of money on the case after which he was left with nothing.
He said he returned to former lifestyle and started begging for alms at the Babsalam Mosque,Ikeja.
He said, “I used to go the mosque to pray and also to beg for alms after, and I pretend to be asleep and wait behind for everybody to leave the Mosque before I steal the Quransâ€.
The first time, he said, he made N1200 from the sale of his loot.
Luck ran out on him the second time he took the Quran to a buyer who contacted police officers at SARS,who came and arrested him.
The suspect expressed regrets over his action.
According to him, “I believe it’s nemesis that is catching up with me. I really regret every action I have taken in the past.
—Lucky Lawal