Residents of Apete in the Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, Ibadan Nigeria, took justice into their own hands on Wednesday, April 5, when they lynched a man suspected to be a serial armed robber and rapist.
According to reports, the man was part of a gang that had been terrorizing the community for weeks, leaving residents in a state of fear and unrest. The gang was said to be responsible for a spate of armed robberies, rapes and other criminal activities in the area.
The lynching occurred after the man was caught in the act of robbing two ladies in the Adagbada Arola area of Apete. It was alleged that he forcefully took their mobile phones and an undisclosed amount of money, and locked one of them inside a toilet while attempting to rape the other.
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Fortunately, the lady locked in the toilet managed to escape and raise the alarm, alerting neighbors to the crime in progress. The angry residents quickly descended on the suspect, beating him mercilessly before eventually lynching him.
The incident was later reported to the police, who arrived at the scene to find the man’s lifeless body. The corpse was taken to Adeoyo State Hospital, while investigations into the incident have begun.
Speaking on the incident, a resident of Apete who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the community had been living in fear for weeks due to the activities of the gang.
“The robbers have been terrorizing us for weeks now, and we are all living in fear,” the resident said. “We are grateful that one of them has been caught, but we are also angry that he was able to carry out such a heinous act.”
Another resident, who identified herself as Mrs. Adeyemi, said the incident was a clear indication of the breakdown of law and order in the area.
“We cannot continue to live like this, where criminals are allowed to operate with impunity,” she said. “It is high time the government took decisive action to rid our community of these criminals.”
Meanwhile, the police have called on residents to refrain from taking the law into their own hands, stating that anyone caught engaging in such activities will be prosecuted.
In a statement released by the police, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, Mr. Adewale Osifeso, said: “The police are aware of the incident that occurred in Apete, and we have commenced investigations into the matter.
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“We want to appeal to residents to refrain from taking the law into their own hands, as this is not only illegal but can also lead to the loss of innocent lives.”
The incident in Apete is just one of many cases of jungle justice that have occurred in Nigeria in recent times. While some argue that it is a result of the failure of the justice system, others maintain that it is a reflection of the frustration and anger felt by ordinary citizens toward the rising rate of crime in the country.
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Whatever the case may be, it is clear that there is a need for urgent action to be taken to address the issue of insecurity in Nigeria, and to ensure that citizens feel safe and protected in their own communities.
