Two persons believed to be brothers were on Wednesday, set ablaze by an angry mob in Onitsha, Anambra State, for their alleged involvement in touting.
A video of the horrific incident quickly went viral, showing bystanders reacting with shock and disapproval.
“These are touts collecting illegal levies around the Bida area of Onitsha. They were being set ablaze for touting. This is not good. The punishment is too much for just touting. They are children to somebody. This is the return of the Bakassi Boys,” bystanders could be heard exclaiming.
In the video, the alleged touts could be seen struggling to escape from bonfire, but could not.
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Reacting to the development, the Anambra Police Command, who condemned the jungle justice, said the suspects as notorious armed robbers.
” The Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye, has condemned the act and reiterated his call for members of the public to always take criminal offenders to the nearest Police Station for necessary policing actions, particularly the conduct of appropriate investigations,” the state Police Public Relations Officer( PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga said.
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“The CP has, therefore, ordered a thorough investigation of the incident.
“Meanwhile, preliminary information reveals that the two male suspects, who were later simply identified as Omaume and Monday, are members of a notorious armed robbery gang led by one Ikanda (male), already in the Correctional Service Custodial Centre.
“The gang is alleged to be responsible for several acts of attack and the dispossession of traders and unsuspecting victims of their personal belongings at the Main Market, Onitsha.”
