Emerging Trend Of Teen Robbery In A Troubled Society

Subair Mohammed

With the arrest of some teenage robbers recently by members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) in Abeokuta, Ogun state few days ago, juvenile delinquency and youngster robbery is fast becoming an emerging trend in the already troubled society of ours.

The pathetic video and confession of the arrested youngster robbers which went viral on the social media exposed how a gang of teenage robbers led by a 14 year old Musa Sulaiman referred to by his gang as Chairman, led four other members of his group to burgled a grocery store in Idofin-Elega in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

Names of other members of the gang according to the video include Tunde (13), Sadiq Oloyede (13), Yunusa (12) and a son of a priestess, Abiodun Atanda (13).

It was also gathered that the gang resort to robbery not because they had no other options but they chose the path of robbery which to them is the best and easy way to riches.

Although, the parents of Musa and Yunusa might not be available physically with them at all time to see to their moral needs but they nonetheless want the best out of life for them which was why they got them enrolled with a cleric, Mallam Malik to instil the knowledge of the Qur’an and Arabic language in them in order to set their foot on the path of righteousness.

But rather than concentrate on learning moral values, Musa and Yunusa had other things planned in their little minds- to flee from their handler, Mallam Malik who they alleged subjected them to torture and hardship to embrace the world of crime by forming a robbery gang with the trio of Sadiq, Tunde and Abiodun.

In his confessional statement, leader of the gang, Musa stated that he got wind of the grocery store they burgled through another member of the gang, Sadiq.

They thereafter decided to break into the store later that day at 12 midnight but unfortunately, they were caught in the act by members of the OPC.

Without mincing words, these young lads who were obviously out of school except for Tunde who is a pupil of a government school in Ikola, Lagos are product of a lawless and immoral society.

As an early riser, the father leaves home daily to be back late in the night just to keep his family alive and the mother too is not spared as she takes on petty trading to augment the little earnings of the father.

Meanwhile, in the absence of both parents, who takes care of the moral and spiritual needs of the children?

Possibly no one because in such society as ours, everyone cares for none other than himself and by implication, the children are left in the care of the faceless but immoral society.

A society that is full of bleak and destructive ideas, immoral adventures and indecisive futures.

Our dearest leaders of tomorrow have lost all innocence and purity to fulfil all expectations of leading the world someday.

They are left to be tutored by the society about values that is harmful and hardened their hearts through anti-human government policies, soul repressive music and cruel social laws that promote and legalise gambling against the ways of moral.

The negative role of music in the destruction of the country’s youth can never be overemphasised. Music is classified as falsehood and idle talk because it is capable of luring the minds into crimes, violence and other social ills.

When in Twelfth Night, an English poet, William Shakespeare described music as soothing to the soul and an antidote for frustration; I believed what he had in mind was only the entertaining aspect of music in mind.

I doubt if he ever considered the destructive tendencies enmeshed in music especially in songs by some Nigerian artistes because nearly all Nigerian songs are lyrically meaningless and morally deficit.

Many of these songs are characterised with foul languages, uncultured habit, promote promiscuity and indecent lifestyle among teenagers.

Meanwhile, as bankrupt as these songs are, it is unfortunate that the intellects of our teenagers are bottled up in it as they live and act every line of these songs regardless of the moral lessons, if any, embedded in it and this fact partially explains the reason some of these teenagers opted for quick riches and crimes.

For me, a way out of this quagmire is for the country’s ministry of culture and tourism and the censor board step up move to ensure that all songs that are to be released are properly censored.

The censor board must ensure that music not only entertained, it must educate and serve as an instrument of social integration and not one that promotes immorality.

Hence, parents and guardian should prohibit their children from listening to such songs.

Apart from this, both parents especially the mother has a huge role in taking care of the home and in the training of the offspring.

It is often said that a child’s first teacher is his mother; that the paradise of a child is at the foot of his mother. Also, that mothers are the closest to the children therefore it is for her to invest her time in building the future of the child by equipping him with the knowledge of this world and the hereafter because many teenagers that are into crime are either from a broken home or lack parental care.

On the other hand, both the federal and state government should promote less and try as much as possible to regulate the operations of lottery companies.

Lottery should be classified and be kept away from the reach of teenagers. It is not a hidden secret that children of school age play Baba Ijebu and other form of gambling.

Although, civilisation comes with various form of social vices but then our traditional values and cultural heritage should be dominant and reflect in our outlook rather than foreign cultures.

For the attainment of a crime free and safe society, government and parents especially mothers should be alive to their responsibilities as the future of the generation yet unborn lie in what they make of today.

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