A mob has reportedly beaten and set ablaze a suspected motorcycle thief in Chinade town in Katagum local government area of Bauchi state.
The suspect, a middle aged man whose identity is yet to be known as of the time of filing this report, was first beaten to a pulp before he was later set ablaze by the mob.
A source in Chinade who didn’t want to be mentioned told journalists that the incident happened on Sunday night, adding that the suspect reportedly stole the motorcycle at Hardawa market in Misau LGA of the state.
According to him, the suspect fled away with the motorcycle but was trailed to Chinade town and when they saw him there (in Chinade), they raised an alarm; a mob then gathered, seized him and beat him to a pulp.
He added that the mob, which was not satisfied with the beating, set him ablaze and watched him burn to death.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, Umar Sanda, who condemned the “jungle justice” done to the suspect described it as “barbaric and dehumanizing”.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, who confirmed the killing of the suspect in a statement said that the Commissioner of Police has ordered for an immediate investigation into the ugly incident.
The statement titled, “CP orders investigation of irate mob action and jungle justice in Chinade’, was made available to journalists in the state on Monday.
He said that the police boss described the mob’s action as inimical to the laws governing the country and warned citizens against taking the laws into their hands even when suspects are arrested.
“The Commissioner of Police Bauchi State Command CP Umar Mamman Sanda, has ordered a thorough investigation into the barbaric and dehumanising act of jungle justice meted on the suspect by some irate youths in Chinade.
“While reacting to the ugly incident, the CP frowned at the action of the irate youths, who, instead of taking the suspect to the Police for proper investigation and prosecution, mobbed him to death for allegedly stealing a motorcycle without any recourse to the law.
“CP Umar Sanda described the act as barbaric and inimical to the law governing our dear country and warned Bauchi State indigenes that the Command under his stewardship will not allow some recalcitrants in the society to take the laws into their hands by killing suspects arrested for an alleged crime in such a dehumanising and unlawful manner,” he warned.
Wakil who said that the Police Commissioner further warned that “nobody has the right to treat a suspect in such a barbaric manner” pointed out that it is wrong for anyone to assume the position of a law enforcement agency.
He urged the public that suspects apprehended in connection with any crime should be immediately handed over to the police or any law enforcement agencies saddled with the responsibility of investigating and prosecuting such.
The police spokesman said that the CP appeals to the general public to be calm, as the Command is already mopping up those responsible for this gruesome act for possible prosecution.
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