Mob lynch suspected kidnapper, set car ablaze

Joy Joseph, Lagos

A yet-to-be-identified man, suspected to be a kidnapper was on Tuesday killed by hoodlums at Mulero Bus Stop, Agege, Lagos.

It was learned that the alleged two-man gang of kidnappers was accosted around the area driving in a golf car.

While one of the suspects was set ablaze alongside the gulf car, the other suspect was said to have been recused by policemen from the Elere Police Division, who were alerted.

Preliminary investigations revealed that cases of one chance and other criminal activities had become a regular occurrence n that axis.

According to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the mob had also attacked policemen who stopped them from lynching the second suspect.

He said: ” The Lagos State Police Command has commenced investigation into the killing of one man alleged to be a kidnapper and setting ablaze of a golf car at Mulero Bus Stop, Agege, Lagos State, one Tuesday, June 8.

” The police operatives attached to Elere Division of the command upon a distress call that some suspected kidnappers were being mobbed at Mulero Bus Stop, by Omotoye Estate, raced to the scene where one white gulf car and a male suspect had been set ablaze.

” The police operatives moved in to rescue the other male suspect who has been matched severally by the mob numbering over two thousand. In the bid to rescue the other male suspect, the agitating crowd also attacked the policemen. The suspect was subsequently rescued and taken to hospital for treatment.”

Adejobi added that the Commissioner of Police (CP), Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has condemned the act of jungle justice and called for a discreet investigation into the case.

The PPRO said the CP has promised to continually kick against such inhumane act.

Also, the command and its counterpart in Ogun state have denied any attack on police formations in the states.

Reports on some social media platforms had alleged that some police stations in Ikorodu and neighboring Ogun state were attacked by hoodlums.

Reacting to the report via a statement on Tuesday, Adejobi said: “The Lagos State Police Command wishes to clear the air that there was no attack on Ikorodu Police Station, Igbogbo, Lagos State or any of its police formations in the State.

“There is no Ogijo Police Station in the Lagos State Police Command but in Ogun State, and the same station, Ogijo, was never attacked as being speculated in the news.

“The video in circulation was a portion of the scene of the recent Bank Robbery Attack in Ikire Osun State.

“The Lagos State Police Command, therefore, urges the general public to disregard the viral video as it’s fake, mischievous, and mere social media projection. The Command remains resolute in providing adequate security for all and sundry in Lagos State.”

Similarly, a statement by the Ogun State Police Command, signed by its Spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi said: “The attention of Ogun state police command has been drawn to a video circulating on social media where a police station was attacked by hoodlums. The said police station is being erroneously identified as Ogijo divisional headquarters in Ogun state.

“For the purpose of clarity, the unfortunate incident did not happened in Ogun state, Ogijo police station is intact and not under any form of attack. The circulating video was a robbery incident that happened in Osun state where a bank and a police station were attacked by armed robbers.

“The command hereby advises members of the public to disregard the information that the incident happened in Ogijo, as such never happened anywhere in Ogun state.

The photographs of Ogijo divisional headquarters as of this morning 8th of June 2021 are hereby attached to this release to clear all doubts. “