A suspected robber, One Mopol, was on Saturday, set ablaze by irate mob at Funmilayo junction, Agege, Lagos State, for allegedly stealing a plasma television.
The suspect who had successfully stolen the item, was leaving Sura Odumakin Street when he was caught at about 6am by a resident who raised the alarm, drawing the angry crowd to the scene.
But for policemen from the Elere division who arrived to rescue him, Mopol was almost lynched.
As the operatives were taking him away, he reportedly vowed to go after his assailants when he leaves the police custody.
Mopol’s statement was said to have attracted the mob who snatched him from the police, stabbed him several times, tied him with a rope and dragged him to the junction where he was set ablaze.
One Diran Oderinde, an eyewitness, told The Punch that the police later came in a van and took away his corpse.
According to him, “I was woken up around 6.30am by the commotion caused by his arrest. One Mopol was a known robber in this community and he robbed with confidence. He stole the plasma television at Sura Odumakin in the Papa area but was caught by a resident when he was about to escape,” Oderinde added.
Another resident, who identified himself only as Taofiq, said “One Mopol derived his name from his mode of operation. He said he raped a woman last week after dispossessing her of N30, 000. He robbed alone with a cutlass.
“Last Saturday night, he robbed a woman selling food on Abiba Street and raped her. When One Mopol was caught this morning (Saturday), the woman came to the scene and discovered that he was the one who actually attacked her.”
A mechanic, Tolu Ibrahim, said One Mopol’s death was a relief to residents, adding that hardly a week went by that he would not rob someone in the community.
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Dolapo Badmos, said, “The command will not tolerate jungle justice in any case, members of the public should endeavour to report such and normal procedure will be followed to get justice done.
“A robber who allegedly stole a plasma TV was burnt to death at Funmilayo area, Agege.
“Police got the information and moved to the scene but unfortunately the man had died. Investigation is on to unravel what actually transpired.
“His corpse has been deposited in a morgue for autopsy,” Badmos noted, urging the public to shun jungle justice.
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