Residents of Danjuma area of Akure, the Ondo State capital, almost lynched a middle-aged man, identified as Kayode Micheal to death, for allegedly picking underwears of women in the area.
Mob action against the suspect was averted by the presence of the men and officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who subsequently arrested the man from being lynched.
According to a source, some residents of the area suspected the movement of the suspect and kept eye on him only to find him with a nylon bag containing the female underwears after leaving one of the houses in the area.
Micheal was said to be planning to use the underwears for ritual purpose or might sell them to the ritualists but was said to be unlucky as he was found with a bag containing different used pants, bras and a blood-soaked sanitary pad.
The source said, ” People saw him picking female underwears around the area, but when he was asked why he was doing this, he could not give a convincing answer to the people thought maybe he wanted to use them for rituals.
” As he could not give an answer to the questions put to him, people started beating him, they wanted to kill him but he was later rescued and handed over to the security agents”
Another source explained that that, “the man was caught by okada riders in Danjuma area of Akure while he was picking female pants and bra, he also picked a fresh sanitary pad soaked with blood.
“Nobody knew what he wanted to use them for. But he has been handed over to men of the Civil Defence Corps, Ondo Command.”
Confirming the development, the Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Command of the NSCDC, Mr Oladapo Samuel, said the suspect has been arrested and was still in the custody of corps while investigation had started on the matter.
He explained that the relatives of the suspect had visited the command but informed the command that the suspect was mentally-challenged and he was fond of picking refuse around the town.
Samuel said, ” The suspect was rescued from the mob by two Samaritan. He was confirmed to engage in begging for alms and picking of dustbins around the metropolis by his relatives and neighbours.
He, however, said the command would continue in its investigation to know the health status of the suspect.