Irate mob kills man for allegedly stealing motorcycle in Bauchi
By Abdullahi Idris,Bauchi
A middle age man has been reportedly beaten and set ablaze by irate youths in Chinade town in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State for allegedly stealing a motorcycle.
A source in Chinade who spoke to journalists in confidence said that the incident happened in chinade town adding that the suspect whose identity is yet unknown, reportedly stole the motorcycle at Hardawa market in Misau LGA of the state.
He said the suspect fled away with the motorcycle but was trailed to Chinade town and when they saw him there (in Chinade), they raise an alarm; a mob then gathered, seized him and beat him to a pulp and later set him ablaze and watched him burn to death.
Reacting on the incident, the Bauchi State Police Commissioner of Police, Umar Mamman Sanda, in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, condemned the “jungle justice” done to the suspect and described it as “dehumanizing and barbaric.”
Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, in the statement entitled: “CP orders investigation of irate mob action and jungle justice in Chinade”, which was made available to journalists in the state on Monday, said that the Commissioner of Police has ordered for an immediate investigation into the ugly incident.
He said that the police boss described the mob’s action as inimical to the laws governing the country and warned citizens against taking the laws into their hands even when suspects are arrested.
He said: “The Commissioner of Police Bauchi State Command CP Umar Mamman Sanda, has ordered a thorough investigation into the barbaric and dehumanising act of jungle justice meted on the suspect by some irate youths in Chinade.
“While reacting to the ugly incident, the CP frowned at the action of the irate youths, who, instead of taking the suspect to the Police for proper investigation and prosecution, mobbed him to death for allegedly stealing of motorcycle without any recourse to the law.
“CP Umar Sanda described the act as barbaric and inimical to the law governing our dear country and warned Bauchi State indigenes that the Command under his stewardship will not allow some recalcitrants in the society to take the laws into their hands by killing suspects arrested for an alleged crime in such a dehumanising and unlawful manner.”
Wakil who said that the Police Commissioner further warned that “nobody has the right to treat a suspect in such a barbaric manner” pointed out that it is wrong for anyone to assume the position of a law enforcement agency.
He urged the public that suspects apprehended in connection with any crime should be immediately handed over to the police or any law enforcement agencies saddled with the responsibility of investigating and prosecuting such.
The police spokesman said that the CP appeals to the general public to be calm, as the Command is already mopping up those responsible for this gruesome act for possible prosecution.
