Date: 2021-05-02

A suspected motorcyclist theft specialist met his waterloo on Friday in Ilorin as an angry mob around Maraba area of the state capital set him ablaze for allegedly stealing a motorcycle popularly called okada.

Sunday Vanguard reliably gathered that the incident happened around the Akerebiata area on Friday night when the deceased accompanied by an accomplice, shot the owner in the leg at gunpoint and forcefully took the Okada from him.

Their attempt to escape after some youths gave them a chase from the spot of the incident however led to their involvement in an accident around Maraba which led to one of them falling off the bike.

The angry mob after beating him black and blue thereafter took a used tyre, sprinkle petrol on it put it on the suspect in the middle of the road, and set him ablaze.

The residents watched as the suspect was roasted alive on the road.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the scene yesterday, his charred remains have been removed.

Speaking on the issue, a resident of the area who does not want his name in print said, "We learnt they snatched an okada around Akerebiata after shooting the owner.

"But in the attempt to escape, some of the youths around summoned courage mobilised themselves and gave them a hot chase which led to the apprehension of one of them who fell off the motorcycle after hitting a vehicle around Maraba Junction.

"They intercepted and overpowered him, collected his gun, and burnt him to death after he had been seriously beaten with blood all over his body.

"The incident happened around 8 pm last night and the body was still at the spot where he was lynched around 9:30 am this morning", the source added.

Speaking on the development, the state Police Public Relationelation Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi (SP) who confirmed the incident said the investigation is ongoing to determine the fact that lead to the incident.