Property theft in places of worship in Osogbo City, Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria, thieves specialising in property theft are increasingly targeting churches, mosques, shrines, and worshippers using these religious spaces. In view of this, this study examined the crime of property theft in places of worship in Osogbo city, Nigeria using the routine activity theory approach. Data were generated through the triangulation of in-depth interview, key-informant interview, and focus group discussion methods. Purposive sampling technique was employed for the selection of 53 worshippers and six religious leaders. Findings showed the propositions of RAT proved useful for understanding the occurrence of property theft in places of worship. Although this form of crime can occur at any kind of religious gathering, nevertheless more cases are usually recorded during the weekly Sunday church service, at Friday Jumat prayers, and during the annual Osun-Osogbo festival. Also, the complacency on the part of some worshippers, the existing lax security system in most places of worship, and the potential values of some religious equipment and artefacts were identified as the major factors attracting thieves to places of worship. Equally, thieves targeting religious sites are particularly interested in any item of monetary value that is portable, handy, and left unprotected by the owner. It is vital for administrators of places of worship to set-up a security committee that will be mandated to oversee security and safety issues.