There was pandemonium in Itam market in Itu Local Government Area at the weekend when an angry mob defied all entreaties and passed jungle judgment on a commercial tricycle operator at about 11:00 am on Friday.
It was gathered that a woman had boarded the tricycle heading towards the ever-bubbling Urua Itam (Itam market), oblivious of the occupants but was robbed of cash as one of the thieves, who posed as a fellow passenger, seized her handbag containing cash and other personal belongings.
According to Affiong Bassey, an eyewitness selling petty wares along the Calabar-Itu portion of the market, alarm raised by the woman attracted a quick response from angry traders, who cordoned off the tricycle and captured one of the suspects, while one escaped.
She explained that “the shouting noted that she has been robbed at gun-point, and the alarm was followed with instant response from traders, who rounded up one of them, but the second suspect escaped. Immediately, some ticket collectors in the market called for immediate action to finish the criminal before the police arrived.
“He was bundled inside his brand new Keke (tricycle) and set on fire before a detachment of Police Quick Response team could reach, the Keke and his owner were already up in flames,” she added.
Incidences of theft in and around the market area have been rife with traders and Point of Sales (PoS) operators as major victims.
However, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Amiengheme Andrew, has warned against jungle justice on criminal suspects in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Odiko Macdon, in a statement on behalf of the Police chief, frowned at people taking laws into their hands.
“Jungle justice has no place in law because nobody has any right to take another man’s life,” he warned and enjoined the civil society to always hand over criminal suspects to security agencies for diligent prosecution. (Nigerian Tribune)
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