A brutal incident of mob justice occurred in Ilisan Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, on Tuesday, resulting in the death of an unidentified man.
The deceased, alleged to be part of a two-man gang attempting to steal a motorcycle, was beaten to death and set ablaze by an enraged mob.
According to eyewitnesses, the situation escalated when the mob caught up with one of the suspects, while the other, dressed in an army uniform, managed to escape and sought refuge in a nearby house.
The incident led to widespread chaos, with the mob demanding the release of the fleeing suspect.
Wemmy Osude, Chairman of the Ilisan Development Association, described the scene: “One of the suspects was caught by a mob and tragically set on fire. The other suspect, who was dressed in an army uniform, sought refuge in a nearby house. A large crowd of over 200 young northerners gathered outside the house, demanding the release of the suspect.”
“The standoff persisted until a detachment of soldiers and policemen arrived at the scene to restore order. During the rescue operation, a confrontation ensued, resulting in the soldiers using tear gas to disperse the mob”.
“The soldiers displayed remarkable bravery and professionalism, using tear gas to disperse the mob and restore order to the area,” Osude added.
In a statement, Idereghi Akari, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 35 Artillery Brigade, clarified that the soldier accused of being involved in the attempted theft was not a criminal. “The soldier is not a thief. The deceased person is a civilian,” Akari stated.
“The situation grew tense as over 200 young men, primarily from the northern part of the country, gathered outside the house, calling for the suspect to be handed over to them. Despite efforts to disperse the mob, they remained defiant”.
“The soldier is not a thief. The deceased person is a civilian.” – Idereghi Akari added
