Jungle Justice: Three alleged kidnappers burnt in Osun State

By Ehi Ekhator

Kidnappers yesterday met their Waterloo as three were set on fire in different parts of Osogbo, Osun State. The Kidnappers were said to have been caught by the mobs who later set them ablaze at various locations.

Two of the kidnappers were burnt at Plantation and Igbona areas of the two while one of the suspected kidnappers was burnt at Ayetoro area of Osogbo.

The confession of one of the kidnappers who earlier escaped being lynched by the mob confessed that he had other nine colleagues in the town, made the youth more vigilant.

The kidnapper was rescued by the police and a soldier who were on transit after being beaten terribly. He confessed that they came from outside the state and their mission was to abduct little children in Osogbo and nearby.

It was however gathered that the kidnapper who was dressed like a mentally ill person, was discovered by a commercial motorcyclist popularly known as Okada as he carried an unknown baby who was  crying on his hands.

The Okada man informed his colleagues who gave the kidnapper the chase of his life. He was caught at Akindeko Market area where he was thoroughly beaten before handed over to the police who came to his rescue.

The first incident opened the eyes of the angry youths who alerted different vigilante groups, they moved around Osogbo in search of other suspected kidnappers with similar moves and discovered three others.

It was gathered that the suspected kidnapper who was burnt at Ayetoro area of Osogbo ran out of luck as the mobs caught him with a baby which was hidden inside a bag he carried.

Due to the alert from the first discovered alleged insane kidnapper, the drivers at the Ayetoro junction asked another suspected kidnapper who also dressed like an insane person to open the bag he carried and discovered a baby inside it.

The discovery led to anger among the youth who mobilized themselves and burnt the suspected kidnapper instantly.

When reporters (not NAIJA CENTER NEWS) visited the scene of the incident, the suspected kidnapper had been burnt beyond recognition and there were police men in the area who were preventing further breakdown of law and order.

It could not be ascertained if the baby discovered in the bag was alive or dead as all attempt to see him proved abortive.

However, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Maishanu condemned the action of the mob, the burning of suspects which he described as judgement judgement and according to him, it’s against the law.

He assured that Police would not allow the state to turn into a theatre of crisis and therefore would do everything to control and forestall further breakdown of law and order.

He warned Nigerians not to take law into their hands and assured that his men would conduct thorough investigation of all the cases.

Responding to the incident, the state Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola condemned the development and warned youths of the state against jungle justice, saying that such incident should be reported to law enforcement agencies, rather than resorting to jungle judgement.

Jungle Justice: Three alleged kidnappers burnt in Osun State

Mob vandalise police officer’s mansion over alleged ritual cell

A mob stormed a three storey building in Abeokuta the Ogun State capital on Monday and  vandalised the glass window panes as they pelted it with stone, steel and other objects following allegation of the existence of an underground cell  for ritual in the house.

They were on the verge of battering the high perimeter wall surrounding the building to gain entry and apparently to torch it but for the quick arrival of a security personnel from the State Security Service(SSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), Special Anti – Robbery Squad(SARS) and Policemen from Eleweran who fought off the mob and saved the building from being set ablaze.

Two lady – tenants who were the only found inside the house  on Agogo – Ogun compound, Ijaiye area panicked and scampered to safety on sighting the surging youths that besieged the compound.

They mob were acting on the allegation that the house, believed to be owned by a retired senior police officer, harbor an  underground cell where ritual syndicates go for supply of flesh blood and human parts.

Not even the sporadic firing of gunshot into the air by the police could make the resolute mob in their hundreds beat a retreat as they said they would not leave the compound until every part of is searched.

When the tension heightened by noon, the Balogun of Ijaiye and Aare of Egbaland, Alh. Ganiyu Babayedun Alimo, was called in to douse the tension and upon his arrival to the scene, he was said to have instructed that the gate be broken so that a search could be conducted on the building.

For almost an hour, a search team comprising the Balogun Ijaiye, youth leader, selected natives, SSS, SARS, NSCDC, Police, operative of the Vigilante Service of Ogun State(VSO) combed every room, toilet and enclosure within the expanse house that looked odd in a depressed, dingy and seedy Ijaiye compound and found no underground cell.

The Balogun appealed to the curious crowd and irate youth – mob who had been spoiling to bring the building down if their suspicion was confirmed, to disperse while the police also fired into the air several times to scare people away.

Mob vandalise police officer’s mansion over alleged ritual cell

Residents allegedly catch mentally-challenged woman with N100,000, BlackBerry

A woman said to be mentally-challenged escaped being lynched by an angry mob on Wednesday after she was allegedly caught with N100,000, two BlackBerry phones and an android phone.

Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident around Onabanjo Street, Oworonshoki, Lagos State, learnt that the incident occurred around 10am.

Residents told PUNCH Metro that two ATM cards were also found on the woman.

A resident, James Ogunkoya, told our correspondent that when some youths saw the woman with some money, they trailed her into a compound.

It was learnt that the youths, who suspected her of being a ritual killer,  pounced on her and beat her to a pulp.

Ogunkoya said, “Around 10am, I saw a crowd around an unkempt woman. Some of the youths picked up sticks and were beating the woman. When I asked what was wrong, they said they found three phones and N100,000 with the her.

“They said the woman was not mad, but was only pretending to be mad so that she could easily perpetrate evil acts.”

Another resident said it was N50,000 that was found with the woman.

The resident, who declined to identify himself, said the youths started suspecting her when she was overheard speaking like a normal person with somebody two days ago.

“Some guys were convinced that the woman was only pretending because they overheard her talking with a man on Monday night. They also wondered where a mad woman could have found the phones,” he added.

PUNCH Metro learnt that policemen attached to the Oworonshoki Police Division were alerted by the noise of the crowd gathered at the scene.

A police team was said to have rescued the woman from the mob.

When our correspondent visited the station, the woman was seen lying on a bench near the counter of the station.

Our correspondent noted that she had a burst lip while her arms were bleeding.

A policeman, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said attempts to verify the allegations were fruitless.

He said, “I have been asking the woman questions all day, but she has just been incoherent. She has even refused to tell us her name. At some point, she just started crying, so I let her sleep. I don’t even know if she is a mad woman.

“Also, when she was arrested and we searched her, we did not find any money, phone or ATM cards on her. Nobody has come to write any statement here at the station.”

The General Secretary, Oworonshoki Youth Forum, Babajide Kabiawu, blamed the incident on the fear in the minds of people since the arrest of ritual killers in some South-West states.

He said there was a need for the government to set up a special task force at the community level.

He said, “I do not condone people taking the laws into their hands. However, it is a reflection of the level of insecurity coupled with the discovery of the activities of ritual killers in Oyo and Ogun states.

“The notorious cannibal, Clifford Oji, used to parade himself as a mad man as well. We have also seen cases in our neighbourhood where supposed mad people kidnapped children. We want the government to support the community in setting up a task force that will evacuate mentally-challenged people.”

Residents allegedly catch mentally-challenged woman with N100,000, BlackBerry