Mob Burns Suspected Robber to Death in Benue
A suspected armed robber was set ablaze by an angry mob in Agirgba Community, Vandiekya Local Government Area of Benue State, in the early hours of Saturday.
The suspect was allegedly caught with stolen electric cables and hospital equipment, including items meant for a newly built clinic in the community, which was yet to be commissioned. The clinic had been equipped by a local benefactor to improve healthcare access in the area.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as John, recounted the events in a phone conversation with our correspondent. He explained that around 4 a.m., he heard a loud shout, but could not immediately determine its source. When he woke up at around 6 a.m. to attend morning mass at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Agbatste, he noticed a crowd gathered near the church. On approaching the scene, he discovered the burnt body of the suspect on the ground.
John shared, “I stopped and asked what happened. People told me the man was caught by the youths in the clinic, where he had stolen electric cables and other hospital equipment. When the suspect saw the youths approaching, his accomplice, who was hiding on a motorcycle, started the bike and fled. The main suspect, however, was caught and set on fire by the angry mob.”
The eyewitness explained that the clinic was being built by a local resident to provide healthcare services to the community, which had long lacked a health facility. The suspect had reportedly gained access to the clinic through the ceiling, where he proceeded to cut the electric wires and gather hospital items to steal. Unfortunately for him, he was overpowered by the youths, while his accomplice managed to escape on the motorcycle.
“The youths at the scene said if the man had not been caught, they would have been asked to bring out the culprits who stole the items,” John added.
By the time our correspondent filed this report, the burnt body of the suspect was still lying on the road.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Catherine Anene, confirmed that she had not yet received information about the incident.
