SFS Contest Picture of the Day Week 14

Iron protectors pulled out
Net covering pulled out
Window glide is adjusted in a home

What comes to your mind seeing this?

Open this door now!!!❌❌❌

If you don't open this door, I'll shoot you. I can remember when these words sounded in my ears when I was young till I grew up to become the adult I am today. Nothing is as traumatic as experiencing a robbery attack in your home in the dark hours of the morning.

If you scream for help, you'll get shot. When you call the police and alert neighbours, they come late when the robbers have robbed you. Sometimes I ask myself:

• Where were the vigilantes in the village, paid to secure the area?

• Did they also run for their lives?

• Why does the police always come after robbery attacks, even when you may have alerted them before the robbery begins?

• Why my house out of all the houses in my neighbourhood?

This dilemma was faced or experienced by my friend who lives in an estate. While he was sleeping in the comfort of his house with his family, robbers invaded the estate, but he wasn't alert as to when the invasion started. Even the vigilantes did nothing about alerting others. These armed robbers robbed 5 houses at a blow and stole laptops, credentials of people, phones, televisions, and some exotic furniture.

They attempted rape on two teenage girls but did not succeed as time wasn't on their side. After these robbed houses, they switched to a compound where about 9 houses were. The burst in through the gate and attacked the houses simultaneously. They were about 50 in that compound, of which they split to attend to all the houses there.

The shock of hearing gunshots woke my friend, his wife, and his children up. This shock made them paralysed as their room was subject to target. The robbers headed straight to the room of the man and frozen their movements. While they were in suspense, the robbers used heavy planks to remove the protector. They first removed the windows easily so they could have access to the house.

When they succeeded in doing this with light in the house of this man, they ordered the wife to bring all the money they had as they didn't see the husband who was their target to shoot. The woman said she had nothing like cash in the house, and she was just so empty. They felt that as a nurse that she is, she's earning millions of naira.

They threatened her to the point that she was shot in the leg. It was then that the husband came out unbearably and held the wife up. They threatened them to bring all they had. The house was ransacked with laptop, television, arm cards, and many valuable things stolen. The wife of this man was in pain. She was shot in front of her children, who shouted and held the mother close.

They begged the robbers to free them and take anything they saw as valuable. They refused. Their commander shouted that they should Clear the man and leave his wife. The man was nearly shot, if not for a gunshot from afar by policemen who came around. The robbers fled, leaving the man and his family in suspense. They were grateful for life, but my friend had to rush his wife to the hospital. I just pray she recovers fully from the pains she incurred.

How can humans be so wicked?. What did they even have to steal from? If they really had, why wouldn't they live in their own built house? The trauma of experiencing such attacks is very debilitating. It can never be forgotten in a lifetime—their first robbery attack as a family.

Sometimes I ask myself, Why do people steal and take all the valuables of others and yet don't use it to better their lives? This is what pains me the most in Nigeria. They waste it on drinks, cigarettes, and hard drugs. Sometimes I also ask why they go free without being caught. These are questions that bubble up in my mind anytime I hear incidents as such.

I heard the news from my aunt that morning, and I did rush down to their house and see neighbours sitting in their awe. It was just so painful, as it happened the day after the death of my friend. I wasn't done mourning my loss now—another tragedy.

In my area, the level of insecurity is on the high. Last two weeks, thieves broke in into the shop of a woman selling Garri or cassava flakes and rice and stole 30 bags of both items in one night. They just drained this woman of her livelihood. Things like this can allow someone to put their hands into something they didn't or never had in mind to do.

In my own case, when robbers attacked, our doors, iron protectors, and windows were smashed to gain access. Hopefully, we weren't hurt, but we were robbed of money and our joy. It's never a good experience. Reasons Jonah was angry when God forgave those who were lustful sinners and practiced all wicked arts when they repented. He wanted them destroyed for their deeds since destruction was pronounced them.

If you've experienced such before, you can relate in the comment section. The Bible says of wicked people who have refused to change that they'll be cut off from the earth in God's wrath or day of judgement. This is what this picture explains.....

Picture of the week	14th October, 2024
Incident	Robbery
Incident time	2Am
Injured	1 person
Stolen items	Uncountable
Police arrival	4:30Am
Followed up case	One of the robbers has been caught

I invite @ahsansharif, @okere-blessing and @emishael60

Cc,

@ashkhan