From Attah Ede, Makurdi
A suspected serial motorcycle snatcher, was on Tuesday morning, set ablaze by a mob opposite the NNPCL mini station, located closed to Tito-gate along the Ibrahim Kashim road in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
An eyewitness who identified himself as Andrew Tergu, said the incident happened on Tuesday morning at about 8:30 when people were taking commercial motorcycles either to work or markets.
He said the suspected bike snatcher had picked the Okada man and directed him to drop him behind total filing station, around railway quarters, off Ibrahim Kashim road in Makurdi.
Tergu stated further that, on reaching the area, the suspected thief immediately came down from the motorcycle, stabbed the okada rider multiple times and zoomed off but a mob gave him hot chase after someone raised the alarm.
He said the rider of the motorcycle died instantly at spot due to heavy bleeding from his stomach and chest.
According to him, a man who came out of his house around the area to also pick a bike to work, stormed into the situation and started shouting, calling for help.
This attracted the mob which chased the thief to the nearby mainroad and descended on him and killed him on the spot.
“They used stones, planks and iron rods on the thief and thereafter, put tyre on his neck, then set fire on his body. This is good for the thief. I believe others who engage in this kind of criminality would see what happened today.” He stated
However, when our correspondent visited the area, some staff of the Benue State Sanitation Agency, in company of police personnel were seen evacuating the remains of the suspected bike snatcher.
When contacted, Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident, saying the suspected bike snatcher was recently released from Makurdi Correctional Center for a similar offence.
According to her, the suspect was caught in the act of stealing a motorcycle around railway quarters and in the process, a group of youths attacked him.
“We got the report and our men were drafted to the area but before police could get there, he was set ablaze.
“The commissioner of police is seriously against jungle justice and for people taking laws into their hands. The CP has ordered investigation to unravel those behind the jungle justice and arrest them.” She said
