By Peterson lbi
Suspected thieves who looted goods from stores of victims of the recent Ekiosa Market fire disaster, where goods worth millions of naira were razed last Sunday, have started returning items they stole from the market.
This is coming less than 24 hours after juju priests from the dreaded ayelala shrine invoked curses on the suspected thieves.
It was gathered Tuesday morning that many of the suspected looters have been returning “stolen” items to parts of the market and the palace of the Oba of Benin, after the curse was placed on the them.
President of Market Women Association in the state, Mrs Blacky Omoregie, confirmed this report when a delegation from the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, paid a sympathy visit to the market.
She said several items ranging from bags of rice, rolls of wrappers, cartons and gallons of groundnut oil, goats and others have been dumped at different parts beside the market.
Mrs. Omoregie said the reason they invited the dreaded ayelala was due to similar incidents at Satana market, Oliha and Uwelu spear parts market which have left many families in pains.
According to her, “They have started returning our stolen goods as we invited ayelala people to issue course on those behind the series of pains being inflicted on market women and other traders in the state.
“Those who are putting fire on our markets should be arrested and those using the opportunity to steal our goods in the market would no longer be free this time.”
One of the affected traders, Mr. Gentle Imuetinyan Usoh, who have received some of his stolen goods, said with the invitation of ayelala priests, more of their stolen goods would be recovered in no distance time.
“Since ayelala was called into this market fire incident, we have started getting back some of our stolen goods. Many of my goods which I thought were burnt by the fire have been brought to the side of the market today, I still believe that our other goods would be fully recovered,” he said.