Angry Mob Set Suspected Armed Robber On Fire in Abia

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Tuesday, February 19th, 2019

From Ignatius Okpara

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The popular Uche Street in Eziama, in Aba Council Area of Abia state, south-East Nigeria, was on Monday thrown into confusion, as angry mob lynched and burnt to death a suspected armed robber who was among a seven man gang that invaded the area.

Abia state police public Relations officer PPRO, Geoffrey Ogbonna, who confirmed the ugly incident to newsmen in Umuahia, said the police has commenced full scale investigation into the matter.

According to him, “We got the information this morning that a gang of seven armed robbers attacked the residents of Eziama, Aba and robbed them of their household valuables which included televisions, palmtops, mobile phones and other properties,’’

He explained that the police investigation would help to discover both the identity of the suspect and those who killed him instead of turning him over to the police.

“The hoodlums, armed with machetes and locally made guns, left after they thought that they had succeeded.

“But luck ran against one of them who was caught by the irate mob and they burnt him to death.

“We are nosing around to find out the identity of the burnt suspect because when things like this happen, people will be skeptical to talk to the police,” he said.

The Abia police Spokesman however, warned people not to take laws into their hands in any circumstance but to report any matter to the police for proper resolution.

“If they had caught him and handed him over to the police, we would have extracted some helpful information from him that could lead to the arrest of other gang members.

“But now that they have killed him, it has become more difficult,” the police Spokesman said.

The PPRO, disclosed that some of the items the robbers forcefully took from their owners at gunpoint had been recovered.