- Residents call for increased security measures to protect lives and property.
- Similar incident in Otukpo, Benue State; enraged crowd sets motorcycle thief on fire
In the community of Agbor, located in the Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, a man accused of motorcycle theft was set on fire by the residents.
The incident took place on Saturday in the Charles Gbemudia area within the Boji-Boji Agbor community, as reported by Punch.
A witness, speaking on the condition of anonymity on Sunday, revealed that the area has been experiencing a rise in motorcycle theft cases.
He said, “Usually, when the local security outfit, Agbor Gha-Ihun, arrests suspects, they will hand them over to policemen.
“But in the case of this incident that happened on Saturday evening, the man was caught and the people decided to set him ablaze rather than hand him over to the vigilante people.
“There was also a robbery incident on Friday night where a lady and her mother were robbed. The robbers collected their phones and they were almost killed, it was God that saved them. So, with this anger, the people decided to set the suspect ablaze before the arrival of policemen.”
When contacted on Sunday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Edafe Bright, confirmed the incident.
“Yes, the suspect was set ablaze by an angry mob for stealing a motorcycle,” Bright simply said.
Disturbed by the escalating crime rate in their community, some residents urged security agencies to intensify their efforts in ensuring the safety of lives and property.
In another news, an enraged crowd set a young man on fire, accusing him of stealing a motorcycle in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. The horrifying incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday, June 6, 2023.
According to reports, the suspect assaulted a commercial motorcyclist at Ochito-ghana and managed to snatch his bike. However, his luck ran out when he brought the stolen motorcycle to Jamaica Street to show it to a friend. A vigilant onlooker, sensing that something was amiss, raised the alarm, leading to the man being surrounded by other commercial motorcyclists.
During the confrontation, the suspect admitted to committing multiple murders of motorcycle riders in Otukpo, including a recent killing on Achigili Street. He revealed that he would take their bikes to Obollo in Enugu state, where he sold them off.