Two suspected criminals lynched in Benue

Two suspected criminals including a motorcycle thief and an alleged cultist have been lynched in two separate incidences in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

It was gathered that the suspected motorcycle thief was killed on Friday night after he allegedly snatched a commercial motorcycle from its owner around Demekpe area of the metropolis.

Eye witnesses said the suspect had already succeeded in snatching the motorcycle from its owner and was speeding away with it when the victim raised alarm which attracted other commercial motorcyclists who pursued after the alleged thief and in no time caught up with him.

“As soon as they got hold of the thief around St. Augustine Catholic Church in Wadata, the Okada riders wasted no time in meting out jungle justice on him. They killed him and set his body ablaze,” they said.

It was further gathered that the second incident reportedly happened at the Modern market in Makurdi on Friday during which a suspected cultists was hacked to death by a rival cult group.

Some of the traders who confirmed the incident said they watched as the cult boys accosted the victim and killed him in broad day light.

“They trailed the guy into the market and opened fire on him but the bullets didn’t penetrate. Then they pulled out cutlasses and other dangerous weapons with which they used to cut him down in shreds. The incident happened just before the close of the market on Friday,” they said.

Contacted, the Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Anene who confirmed the two incidents however warned members of the public against jungle justice, saying they were taking laws into their hands by so doing.

“Incident confirmed and condemned,” Anene stated in a text message.

(The Sun)