Just some days after fire razed Ekiosa (Osa market) in Benin City, Edo State, thieves have started returning the items they stole during the inferno.
It was reminiscent of the 2004 Oba market fire when thieves returned stolen items from the market after Ayelala priests visited the place.
Ekiosa market was gutted by fire on Sunday, December 22, 2019, and thieves had a field day breaking into shops and looting goods.
On Monday, December 23, 2019, the market leaders invited Ayelala worshippers to curse those who caused the fire and thieves that stole goods.
The Ayelala worshippers, clad in red attires, walked round the market with a cock, cursing those responsible for the fire and the thieves.
Addressing a delegation of Benin monarch Omo N’Oba Ewuare II, Edo State President of Market Women Association, Blacky Ogiamien, said that the thieves had started returning stolen goods.
She said items ranging from bags of rice to roll of wrappers, cartons and gallons of groundnut oil, goats and others had been dumped at places near the market square.
Ogiamien said that the invitation of the dreaded juju priests (Ayelala group) was to prevent future fire incidents at markets in the state.
She said the fire at Satana market, Oliha and Uwelu spare-parts market left many families in pains and called for intervention to prevent further inferno.
One of the affected traders, whose goods have been returned, Gentle Imuetinyan Usoh, hailed the invitation of juju priests, saying more of their stolen goods would be recovered soon.
The Nation reports that besides returning the stolen items, some persons returned goods to the Oba’s palace.
Sources at the palace said those who returned items claimed that they seized them from people who stole them at the market.
