A 22-year-old young man was on Easter Sunday (April 9, 2023) evening set ablaze by an angry mob for allegedly stealing an Android mobile phone in the Atimbo area of Calabar Municipality Local Government Area (LGA) of Cross River.
An eye witness who narrated the incident, said the boy identified as Eyo, has been known for petty stealing around the area and has been warned severally to desist from such.
The witness, who pleaded anonymity, said that the boy committed the offence on Saturday and disappeared into thin air only to reappear on Sunday.
“I have known Eyo since secondary school, he has always been stealing, there was a time he stole half of the class school fees.
“Even as we grew into our 20s, Eyo became audacious in stealing and more notorious, he was always caught stealing, this is not the first time a mob action was carried out on him, he only met his end today.
“They started by beating him with a cutlass before setting him ablaze. Funny enough, it’s just for stealing an Android phone,” he explained.
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Meanwhile, a Police Command spokesperson in the State, SP Irene Ugbo, has confirmed the incident and decried the act.
While noting that it was unlawful for people to take laws into their hands, she said the right thing to do was to have reported the suspect to the nearest police station in the area.
“Killing him in the most gruesome manner through mob action is not only barbaric, but it is also illegal and unacceptable,” she stated.
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