The Governor of Ondo State has approved the establishment of a mobile court to try perpetrators of jungle justice in the state.
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the state’s Deputy Governor, made the announcement yesterday during an emergency meeting with leaders of commercial motorcyclists and tricyclists in Akure, the state capital.
The meeting followed the recent killing of a 25-year-old driver, Temitope Olorunfemi, in the Ijoka Area of Akure.
Olorunfemi was killed last week by a mob who mistook him for an Internet fraudster, Yahoo boy, in the Ijoka area of Akure after his car hit some people on motorcycles.
One of the victims died instantly, while six others sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital.
His Toyota Camry vehicle was also set ablaze by the mob.
The deputy governor described the act as “barbaric” and “inhumane”, saying the state government was unhappy over the mob action orchestrated by commercial motorcyclists, also known as Okada riders.
Aiyedatiwa said it was high time the cyclists in the state desisted from taking laws into their hands and learnt to have faith in security agencies.
“There is dignity in labour and you must be proud of all you are doing, don’t always assume that other road users are your enemies.”
The deputy governor, however, directed all the leaders of the cyclists association present at the meeting to immediately pay a condolence visit to the family members of the casualties.
In his remark, the Ondo State coordinator of the cyclists, Isaac Sico, said the leadership of the association had begun to identify the “bad eggs” among them.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command has warned against jungle justice in the state, urging residents to report murder and accident cases to the police instead of taking the law into their hands.
The police spokesman, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, on Wednesday, said the police would prosecute anyone who engaged in such action.
“We want to reiterate that jungle justice is illegal. It’s against the law. There is a reason why we have the police.
“When there is an accident, the first focus should be how to rescue the victims. Take them to the nearest hospital and never take the law into our own hands.
“It’s wrong for anyone to sniff the life out of anyone under the guise that such a person has killed someone else. Let us always allow the law to take its course,” she said.