The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has launched an inquiry into the death of an unidentified man, who was allegedly attacked, set ablaze, and burned to death by a mob at Ikpe Ikot Akpan Village, on the Ikot Ekpene-Uyo Road.
DSP Timfon John, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday.
John added that the incident occurred around 7:05 a.m., following an allegation that the deceased attempted to steal a motorcycle belonging to one Idoroenyin Udo.
The PPRO stated that preliminary investigations found that the motorcycle owner allegedly resisted the attempted theft and raised an alert, causing some residents to pursue and catch the culprit.
She continued, “Instead of handing him over to the police for proper investigation, some members of the mob allegedly took the law into their own hands, assaulted the suspect, and subsequently set him ablaze, resulting in his death.”
According to John, when police received the distress complaint, they promptly deployed to the scene and began an investigation.
She said that the command had increased efforts to identify, locate, and arrest all those participating in the mob activity and that anyone found guilty would be prosecuted in line with the law.
According to the PPRO, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, severely condemned the occurrence and warned the public against using jungle justice in any form.
The statement added, “No individual or group has the right to determine the guilt of a suspect or impose punishment outside the law.
“A person accused of committing an offense must be handed over to the appropriate authorities for investigation and prosecution.”
The command charged members of the public to remain law-abiding and promptly report suspected criminal activities to the police rather than resorting to mob action.
“Jungle justice is unlawful, dangerous, and unacceptable. It destroys evidence, frustrates proper investigation, and can lead to the killing of innocent persons,” she added.
The PPRO concluded that an investigation was ongoing, and efforts were being increased to capture all those involved in the incident.
