A middle-aged man suspected of motorcycle theft was lynched by a mob in Ilishan Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, while another individual was stabbed during the incident.
The situation was eventually brought under control through the intervention of the police and personnel from the Nigerian Army’s 35 Artillery Brigade.
Reports indicate that a confrontation arose between a detachment of soldiers, police officers, and some Hausa residents of the community, who insisted on executing a suspected army officer. The officer was allegedly part of a two-man gang that attacked a resident and attempted to steal his motorcycle.
It was learned that one of the suspected thieves was beaten to death and set on fire, while the other, reportedly dressed in army uniform, escaped into a nearby building after being severely stabbed.
An eyewitness who was at the scene of the incident said the development was as a result of incessant hijack of motorcycles belonging to members of the Hausa community by thieves in recent times.
“All entreaties by the leaders of the community and the police who first responded fell on their deaf ears as they insisted on killing the military personnel in hiding,” he said.
“A detachment of soldiers in two pick up vans later came around shooting sporadically into the air and sending residents to scamper for safety.
“The Sagamu Area Command of the Nigeria Police had earlier responded with an armoured tank stationed at Ilisan junction to quell the crisis.
“Some of these Hausas have lost their motorcycles to these attackers in recent times but the right thing to do is to follow the law.
“It is wrong of them to be insisting on carrying out jungle justice. This was how they almost burnt down the police station about three years ago because they insisted on killing two suspected bikes thieves that were being held in custody at Ilisan police station.
“Today, they have killed one of the suspects and we gathered that the one wearing army uniform who escaped into one of the buildings might not make it too because he had been wounded with knife. This can’t continue, it is wrong.”
The Chairman of Ilisan Development Association, Otunba Wemmy Osude, has sued for peace in the area also confirmed the incident
“The Hausa community in Ilisan demonstrated their numerical strength by converging in the Ugborule area, near the Ilisan Community Hospital after two suspects were apprehended for stealing a motorcycle
“One of the suspects was caught by a mob and tragically set on fire. The other suspect, who was dressed in an army uniform, sought refuge in a nearby house.
“A large crowd of over 200 young northerners gathered outside the house, demanding the release of the suspect. Despite efforts to disperse the mob, they remained defiant.
“The situation intensified until the Army intervened with a commando-style rescue operation, successfully evacuating the suspect.
“During the operation, a shootout occurred as soldiers responded to the increasingly hostile crowd, who began throwing stones and damaging two vehicles.
“The soldiers displayed remarkable bravery and professionalism, using tear gas to disperse the mob and restore order to the area”.
Reacting to this development, the Assistant Director Army Public Relations 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, Captain Idereghi Akari, confirmed the sad incident but denied that the soldier was a suspect
“The soldier is not a thief, the deceased person is a civilian,” he simply said.