Despite warnings against jungle justice, three robbery suspects have been lynched in Uyo, Nigeria’s Akwa Ibom State capital in the past one week, Akwa Ibom Police Command has revealed.
A robbery suspect along Ebong Essien off Ikpa Road in Uyo was arrested by irate mob on the suspicion that he wanted to steal, hung tyre and burnt to death on November 28, 2021.
On December 8, 2021, two young men who were accused of attempting to rob a POS attendant at Ikot Oku Ikono, Uyo close to the Timber market, after the flyover were caught, set ablaze and burnt to ashes.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State, CP AMIENGHEME ANDREW, psc(+), fdc has decried the incessant unnecessary killings of perceived perpetrators of crimes in the state.
A press release signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP ODIKO MacDON on Friday, said ”The CP said such acts are a travesty of justice, capable of detailing public order and are totally unacceptable as it has no place in our criminal Justice administration.
”For the avoidance of doubt, the rights to life and fair hearing are enshrined in Chapter four of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and are inalienable rights, hence, should be respected by all at all times.
”Only last week, at Ebong Essien by Ikpa Road, a young man was lynched because of an allegation that he stole. Two days back, December 8th, 2021, two young men, alleged to have attempted robbing a POS attendant at Ikot Oku Ikono, Close to the timber market, just after the flyover were killed and burnt by angry mob.
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”This trend, the Commissioner of Police notes is totally unacceptable. He has therefore ordered that perpetrators of such acts be apprehended and made to face justice.’’
According to him, ”A few months back, the social media was agog with the news that an innocent woman was wrongly tortured to death, leaving her two weeks old baby helpless on a false allegation that she stole two ( 2000 ) thousand naira at the popular ‘Urua Okpokpo’ Market.
”The Command wishes to state that it is committed to prosecuting any criminal arrested and handed over to her, and is calling on youths to desist from taking laws into their hands whenever incidents of such nature happens or be willing to face the legal consequences thereafter,’’ MacDon added.
