ILORIN — An angry mob at Sawmill area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Tuesday night, burnt a middle aged woman to death for allegedly kidnapping five children.
It was the timely arrival of detachment of police officers that saved two others who were rescued.
Worried by the jungle justice being meted to suspected kidnappers in Ilorin recently by residents, the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Police command, Ambrose Aisabor, warned residents against taking laws into their hands. Another woman was lynched six days ago at Emirs Road, Ilorin.
Vanguard reliably gathered that the woman, who was burnt beyond recognition, allegedly confessed that she was in league with a team of other kidnappers with a mandate to kidnap an unspecified number of children.
Vanguard further gathered that the woman also confessed to have succeeded in kidnapping five children from the same area and was on the way to taking the sixth at the Sawmill area of the town when nemesis caught up with her.
It was learnt that some people who suspected her movement had monitored her until she was caught in the act.
The said woman was unable to give satisfactory answers to their questions, a development that prompted them to raise alarm which attracted a crowd which eventually burnt her to death.
But the other two women, who were accosted around Sawmill area were, however, lucky as the police arrived on time to save them from being killed.
Contacted, Police spokesman in the state, Mr. Ajayi Okasina, confirmed the two incidents.
Meantime, the State Police Command has issued a statement on the development. The statement, signed by Okasina, read: “The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Police Command, Ambrose Aisabor, wishes to appeal and at the same time warn members of the public who have found the habit of taking the law into their hands and meting out jungle justice to people suspected to be kidnappers who are in most cases wrongfully so suspected to stop this irresponsible act immediately.
“Henceforth, the command will not shirk in its responsibilities to deal with any individual/group of people caught in such acts of unbridled lawlessness. Men and women of unsound minds are not necessarily agents of ritualists, so be warned. For the purpose of emphasis, any suspected person is to be reported or handed over to the Police if arrested.”
