Angry mob enforces jungle justice, burns armed robber to death

Angry mob caught a robbery suspect after an operation, enforces jungle justice, and burnt the robber to death instantly in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area, Edo State.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, Kontongs Bello, in a statement on Saturday in Benin City, confirmed the mob action, adding that thorough investigation into the incident has commenced.

The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, CP Abutu Yaro, chided the mob for the killing of the robbery suspect without trial, saying that the action is barbaric and dehumanising jungle justice by youths under the umbrella of vigilantes in Auchi.

The PPRO highlighted: “The Commissioner of Police while reacting to the ugly incident, frowned at the action of the vigilantes, who instead of taking the suspect to the police for proper investigation and prosecution, aided the irate mob to burn the suspect allegedly arrested for stealing to death without any recourse to the law.

“CP Abutu Yaro, who described the act as barbaric and inimical to the law governing our dear country, warned Edo State indigenes that the command under his watch will not allow disgruntled elements in the society to take laws into their hands by killing suspects arrested for alleged crimes in such a dehumanising and unlawful manner.”

The CP asserted that nobody has the right to treat suspects in such a manner, saying that it was wrong for anyone to assume the position of a law enforcement agency.

The Police Commissioner maintained that suspects caught in connection with any crime should immediately be handed over to the police or any law enforcement agency constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of investigating and prosecuting such persons.

Yaro disclosed that the police are already mopping up the people involved in the killing of the robber for possible prosecution.  He urged the residents to be calm.