In a disturbing incident in Plateau State, two men suspected of being phone thieves were lynched by an angry mob in the early hours of Friday, November 29, 2024. The tragic event occurred in the Kabong community, located within Jos North Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses reported that the suspects had been attacking passersby, using weapons to rob people of their phones and other valuables. Enraged by the repeated criminal activity, members of the community gave chase, catching two of the suspects. The mob then set them on fire before they could be handed over to authorities. Several other suspects managed to flee the scene.
A local resident, Mathew Ignatius, confirmed the attack, noting that the suspects were believed to be part of a cult group that had been terrorizing the community for some time, particularly during the early morning hours. According to Ignatius, the suspects had previously targeted people for their phones, laptops, and money. This morning’s robbery was the final straw for residents, who swiftly formed a mob and took justice into their own hands.
The Plateau State Police Command also responded to the incident. In a statement issued on Friday, spokesperson DSP Alabo Alfred provided details of the police’s actions. He confirmed that the police received a distress call around 9:20 a.m. about the robbery attempt in Jenta Adamu. The police were dispatched to the scene, where they found the two charred bodies and recovered two locally-made pistols, believed to belong to the suspects.
The police condemned both the criminal activities of the suspects and the mob’s violent response. Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Olugbemiga Adesina, emphasized that while criminal acts like armed robbery and cultism would not be tolerated, citizens should refrain from taking matters into their own hands. Instead, he urged the public to hand over suspects to the proper authorities, ensuring that justice is served in accordance with the law.
The bodies of the suspects were taken to a nearby hospital morgue for identification. The investigation into the attack is ongoing, as the police continue to work with local leadership to address the situation.
