A suspected robber has lost his life after an angry mob attacked and set him ablaze in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was gathered that the suspect, identified as a teenager was stripped and burnt to death after he was allegedly caught stealing.
Confirming the incident, the police spokesperson in the State, Kontongs Bello, in a statement on Saturday in Benin City, said that the State Police Commissioner, Abutu Yaro, has frowned at the incident and ordered a thorough investigation into the matter.
He described the killing of the suspect as a barbaric and dehumanising act of jungle justice by youths masquerading as vigilantes in Auchi.
According to the statement, “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, fdc 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.”
Yaro warned that nobody has the right to handle suspects in such a manner, as no one has the right to assume the position of a law enforcement agency.
He maintained that suspects arrested in connection with any crime should be immediately handed over to appropriate agencies saddled with the responsibility of investigating and prosecuting such persons.
The Police commissioner also appealed to the residents to be calm as the command is already on top of the matter to fish out those culpable.
