The youths were determined to kill an army officer they believed was part of a two-man gang that had attacked one of them and attempted to steal his motorcycle EKO HOT BLOG gathered.
According to eyewitness reports, one of the alleged thieves was caught by the mob, beaten, and set on fire. The second suspect, who was reportedly wearing an army uniform, managed to escape into a nearby building after being stabbed.
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Despite efforts by community leaders and the police to calm the situation, the Hausa youths refused to back down, insisting on exacting the same fate on the escaped suspect, citing repeated attacks and thefts of their motorcycles by assailants.
The situation escalated when a group of soldiers arrived in two pickup trucks, firing shots into the air to disperse the crowd, causing panic and sending people fleeing for safety. Earlier, the Sagamu Area Command of the Nigeria Police had responded by deploying an armored tank to the Ilisan junction to control the unrest.
A local resident, who requested anonymity, acknowledged the frustrations of the Hausa community, noting that many had lost their motorcycles to thieves. However, he condemned their resort to vigilante justice.
“Some of these Hausa people have lost their motorcycles to these attackers recently, but taking the law into their own hands is not the answer,” he said. “This is the same way they almost burned down the police station three years ago when they insisted on killing two suspected bike thieves who were in custody.”
He added, “Today, they’ve killed one suspect, and the one in the army uniform who escaped may not survive either, given the injuries he sustained. This kind of behavior can’t continue—it’s wrong.”
In a statement on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Ilisan Development Association, Otunba Wemmy Osude, explained that the Hausa youths had apprehended two suspects for allegedly stealing a motorcycle.
“One suspect was caught by a mob and tragically set on fire. The other, dressed in an army uniform, sought refuge in a nearby house. Over 200 young northerners gathered outside, demanding the release of the suspect. Despite attempts to disperse them, they remained resolute,” Osude stated.
He continued, “The situation escalated until the army intervened with a commando-style rescue operation, successfully evacuating the suspect.
During the operation, the soldiers had to respond to the hostile crowd, who began throwing stones and damaged two vehicles. The soldiers displayed remarkable bravery and professionalism, using tear gas to disperse the mob and restore order.”
Captain Idereghi Akari, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, confirmed the incident on Wednesday. He clarified that the soldier involved was not a thief and that the individual who was killed was a civilian. Akari promised to provide further details as they became available.
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