Residents of Osogbo, Osun State, were left in an uproar on Monday after discovering that a food vendor had disappeared with their money. The vendor had collected millions of naira from residents as upfront payment for food items, but the goods were nowhere to be found. The incident occurred at Odi-Olowo in the state capital, where the vendor's business premises were found locked and under key.
The vendor had allegedly lured victims by offering food items at giveaway prices. A 50kg bag of rice was sold for ₦27,000, 25 litres of cooking oil for ₦30,000, and a pack of spaghetti for ₦10,000. Customers were required to pay in advance and return about a week later to collect their packages. However, when customers returned to collect their goods, they found the premises locked and the vendor's phone numbers switched off.
Angry customers besieged the premises, lamenting their losses and expressing frustration. The mood was charged and sorrowful, with a large crowd milling around the locked shop. Some victims, mostly women, were seen crying and lamenting their fate, while others sat on the pavement arguing in groups. A few still expressed hope that the shop owner would return and reopen.
One of the victims, Bola, said she paid ₦765,000 for bags of rice, cooking oil, spaghetti, and other food items. She paid on Wednesday, expecting to collect her goods on a later date, only to find the shop locked. Another victim, Mr Tunde Kolapo, said he mobilised family members to patronise the vendor, describing the incident as a well-planned fraud.
Mr Kolapo said he paid ₦135,000 for five bags of rice and even introduced his sister and neighbour to the vendor, thinking it was a genuine offer. However, the vendor has now run away with their money, leaving them with significant financial losses. The incident has left many in the community feeling deceived and financially strained.
A community leader, Chief Ajagbe Oladunjoye, expressed little sympathy for the victims, stating that they should have expected such an outcome. According to him, past experiences had shown that unusually cheap offers often ended in fraud, and those who looked for such deals should be prepared to face the consequences.
The incident serves as a warning to residents to be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true. It also highlights the need for vigilance and thorough research before engaging in financial transactions with vendors. The police are yet to comment on the incident, but it is expected that an investigation will be launched to track down the vendor and recover the stolen funds.
Key points
- The food vendor collected millions of naira from residents for food items that were never delivered.
- The vendor offered food items at significantly lower prices to lure victims into paying in advance.
- A community leader has warned residents to be cautious of unusually cheap offers, citing past experiences of similar fraudulent schemes.
