Irate youths in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State on Sunday set ablaze a suspected motorcycle snatcher who was allegedly caught stealing a motorcycle.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Sunday at Abagu community in the local government area.
Chronicle NG gathered on Sunday that the suspect was arrested while attempting to steal a motorcycle that was parked by the owner.
The jungle justice happened just a day after commercial motorcyclists, also known as Okada riders, protested in Gboko against the ongoing abduction and murder of their members.
Three persons were allegedly killed Thursday night, prompting a protest by motorcyclists on Friday.
DSP Udeme Edet, the command’s spokeswoman, verified the protest and stated that an investigation was underway to identify individuals responsible for the seizure of motorcycles and the killing of okada riders in Gboko.
He said, “Yes, we are aware of the incident. An investigation is currently going on to unravel the circumstances behind it.”
Residents reported that the mob activity occurred in the early hours of the day, sparking panic in the region as people gathered at the scene before security arrived.
While the region returned to normalcy, the deceased’s body was transferred to a private morgue.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain a response from the Benue State Command spokeswoman on the Sunday event were unsuccessful; her phone rang, but she did not answer it as of the time of writing.
