A tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday along Ibrahim Kashim Road in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, where a suspected motorcycle thief was set ablaze by an irate mob.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the suspect was part of a gang that targeted an unsuspecting commercial motorcyclist, commonly referred to as an ‘okada rider’. According to Andrew Tergu, who witnessed the attack, two passengers had hired the rider to take them to the railway quarters. Unknown to the motorcyclist, a third accomplice had positioned himself at the drop-off point.
“As soon as the passengers got down, the third man approached the rider pretending to pay the fare,” Tergu recounted. “Instead, he pulled out a pair of scissors and stabbed the rider multiple times.”
The injured motorcyclist cried out for help, but the gang quickly attempted to flee with the motorcycle. In the chaos, one of the suspects reportedly fell off the bike. Bystanders seized the opportunity, apprehended him, and dragged him to the main road, where he was set on fire.
When our correspondent arrived at the scene, officials from the Benue State Sanitation Agency, accompanied by police officers, were seen evacuating the charred remains of the suspect.
Police spokesperson, SP Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident and revealed that the deceased had only recently been released from the Makurdi correctional centre, where he had served time for a similar offence.
“Immediately we received the report, the command dispatched officers to the scene,” Edet said. “Unfortunately, before they arrived, the suspect had already been lynched. Our findings show he had just completed a sentence for motorcycle theft.”
Edet condemned the act of jungle justice and warned that the command would no longer tolerate such unlawful reprisals. She urged residents to report crimes through proper channels and allow the law to take its course.
The incident has sparked renewed conversations around mob violence and the need for stronger community-police trust in Benue State.
0 Comments