A mob of enraged youths on Tuesday brutally killed and set ablaze an unidentified man for allegedly attempting to steal a motorcycle in Ilisan Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The deceased was reportedly part of a two-man gang that attacked a motorcyclist of Hausa origin, intending to flee with his motorcycle.
The situation escalated when the mob caught up with one of the suspects, beat him to death, and then set his body on fire.
The other suspect, who was allegedly dressed in army uniform, managed to escape after being severely stabbed and sought refuge in a nearby house.
The incident led to widespread chaos in the area as the mob, furious over the frequent theft of their motorcycles, demanded the release of the fleeing suspect who had taken cover in a local residence.
According to Wemmy Osude, Chairman of the Ilisan Development Association, the situation grew tense as over 200 young men, primarily from the northern part of the country, gathered outside the house, calling for the suspect to be handed over to them.
Osude recounted the incident, stating, “One of the suspects was caught by a mob and tragically set on fire.
The other suspect, who was dressed in an army uniform, sought refuge in a nearby house.
A large crowd of over 200 young northerners gathered outside the house, demanding the release of the suspect.
Despite efforts to disperse the mob, they remained defiant.”
The standoff persisted until a detachment of soldiers from the 35 Artillery Brigade in Alamala, Abeokuta, and policemen from the Sagamu Area Command arrived at the scene to restore order.
The situation intensified, prompting the soldiers to conduct a commando-style rescue operation to evacuate the suspect.
During the operation, a confrontation ensued as the soldiers were met with hostility from the crowd, who began throwing stones and damaging two vehicles.
“The soldiers displayed remarkable bravery and professionalism, using tear gas to disperse the mob and restore order to the area,” Osude added.
In a statement on Wednesday, Idereghi Akari, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 35 Artillery Brigade, clarified that the soldier accused of being involved in the attempted theft was not a criminal.
He emphasised that the deceased was a civilian and not associated with the military.
“The soldier is not a thief. The deceased person is a civilian,” Akari stated, urging the public to refrain from jumping to conclusions about the involvement of military personnel in criminal activities.
The incident has sparked concern among residents about the rising wave of mob justice in the area, with many calling for a more effective approach to tackling crime and maintaining law and order.
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