Niger Delta
Robbers Burnt To Death In Uyo …As Police Condemn Jungle Justice
Four alleged armed men on Tuesday night were burnt to ashes while trying to rob a pregnant woman at Abak road Boulevard, Uyo.
An eyewitness said the incident occured at about 09:00pm, when the pregnant woman was immediately surrounded by the robbers as soon as she got down from a motorbike.
Though the rider had, according to the eye witness taken off after his passenger had alighted he was immediately compelled to turn back due to a screaming from his passenger.
The eyewitness who declined his name in print reported that two of the robbers on sighting the bikeman fled after they had successfully dispossessed the lady of her valuable items, while the other two were not fortunate.
Another eyewitness and resident of the area who also pleaded anonymity said the aggrieved bikeman, who immediately alerted others, engaged in a battle with the hoodlums and rescued the woman who had sustained a severe hand injury in the process
“Luck ran out of two of them when they were overpowered by many men who beat, stoned them with blocks and locked them up in the tunnel and set them ablaze”, the eye witness recounted.
Another resident of the area, Mrs Arit Archibong, regretted that the flyover area had been a den of criminals for some years now, adding that about four rape cases were reported within the tunnel in December 2019.
Other residents who spoke with newsmen blamed the crime on the blackout and lack of security in the area.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, SP Odiko Macdon, frowned at such jungle justice, stressing that such act has no place in the law.
“It is unfortunate that they were already set ablaze before we got there. Jungle justice has no place in the law. Every accused is innocent until proven guilty by the law”.
The PPRO who cautioned that the command would no longer tolerate such acts, declared that it was better for nine thieves to be allowed unpunished than for one innocent person to be killed in error.
“We have liaised with the state waste management authority to evacuate the remains while investigations are ongoing to unravel the culprits behind the act”, he said.