A vigilance group, Igbogene Vigilance Committee in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has arrested a father of two for alleged theft of a pot of soup, 12 wraps of fufu and a half basin of garri flour.
The 35-year-old, whose name was given as Mr. Kaduna Enatimi, hailed from Akassa community of Brass LGA of the state.
Enatimi was said to be arrested by the vigilantes about 2am on Thursday while comfortably consuming some of the stolen wraps of fufu and the soup.
The Head of the Igbogene Vigilance Committee, Chief MoneySweet Asomo, said the suspect was caught red handed “doing justice” to the soup and food items stolen from a cafeteria owned by an Akwa Ibom State woman in the area.
Asomo noted that the accused claimed that hunger and economic hardship pushed him into stealing the items to enable him to feed himself and his family.
Asomo said, “We were on patrol at about 2am on Thursday. When we got to the Timida School area, we saw a man at a local food joint eating. The food kiosk is owned by an Akwa Ibom indigene popularly called Madam Blessing.
“We questioned Enatimi and he confessed to have stolen the pot of soup, some wraps of fufu and half basin of garri. He claimed it was the economic hardship that led him to the crime.”
It was, however, learnt that the Paramount Ruler of the area, the Obenibe X1 of Epie Kingdom, King Hope Adike, intervened and asked them to parade him (the suspect) round the community with the stolen items as a deterrent to others.
It was also learnt that after parading the suspect round the village, he was released and asked to sin no more.
The Paramount ruler, it was learnt, was said to have let him go after considering his defence that hunger and hardship made him to steal the items.
