Jungle justice: Mob sets man ablaze in Ibadan, another rescued

For the umpteenth time, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, recorded cases of mob action on Monday. The first incident occurred at Oke-Ado area with a man burnt to death while, in the other incident, another man was rescued from being killed by another mob at Molete area.

A team of Amotekun corps came to the rescue of the man at Molete and handed him over to the police, who took him to the Police Clinic, Eleyele, for treatment.

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There, however, were varied reports about the circumstances that led to the killing in Oke-Ado. While some eyewitnesses reported that the man, named Saheed, was a suspected kidnapper, others claimed that he was mentally unstable.

Those who pushed the kidnapping reason held that Saheed strapped a doll on his back which he used to attract the attention of kids in the area.

A resident of Oke-Ado was said to have raised an alarm when they suspected that Saheed was trying to lure a four-year-old boy with the intention to kidnap.

The mob was said to have acted upon the outcry and descended on Saheed when they also found the sum of N250,000 on him.

The eyewitness said: “The incident occurred at about 9:00 a.m; the man was seen roaming the street with a doll on his back, and a resident who identified a child he was trying to attract raised the alarm.”

On the other hand, a resident of Odo-Ona, where Saheed hailed from, said the deceased was only mentally unstable and not a kidnapper.

The resident, Mr Bamidele Emmanuel, said the man was well known in Odo Ona, where he did menial work like washing of cars and carrying luggage for people.

Bamidele said: “He was formerly a driver; his ailment began after the commercial bus he was driving got stolen.

“The owner of the vehicle never believed the bus was truly stolen, which made him report him (Saheed) at the police station and the mental problem began after he returned from the police station.

“On his return, he began doing menial jobs; he was well known at Odo Ona axis. This is just a case of jungle justice.

“He had a wife and children before the mental challenge began but they left him afterwards.”

Speaking on Monday’s incidents, state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, condemned the recent resort to jungle justice, which he said had become a recurring decimal in the state.

When allowed to continue unabated, he decried that it would degenerate into many innocent lives being unjustly terminated. He called for a stop to jungle justice, warning that the full weight of the law would be brought upon those caught in such act.

He, however, said an investigation had commenced to ascertain the immediate and remote cause of the action of the mob.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE