Irate Youths Set Suspected Armed Robber Ablaze in Makurdi

A suspected armed robber was set ablaze by irate youths in the Makurdi Modern Market area of Makurdi, Benue State, on Friday.

The incident occurred after the suspect, part of a robbery gang, was caught while his accomplices managed to escape.

The suspect had broken into two shops around 3:30 am before proceeding to attack other residents at 5 am.

According to eyewitness Peters Abo, “The suspect and his co-criminals had successfully robbed a shop selling paint, carted away several valuables, and also targeted a Bet9ja shop to rob a victim.

Before they could complete their mission at the Bet9ja shop, some residents raised an alarm, attracting the attention of youths in the area.”

The youths chased the robbers, who initially escaped but then proceeded to rob another location.

They had earlier robbed successfully, shot, and snatched a motorcycle from an unidentified person at Naka Road before heading to Ankpa Ward Road to rob another shop.

“The youth pursued them and later caught up with one of them. The other robbers reportedly escaped while this one was unlucky,” Abo said.

“He was at first attacked with stones and other dangerous objects, but those things could not penetrate his body before he was set ablaze.”

Abo added that the suspect was found with a gun and cutlass, which he used to operate.

Despite being attacked with these weapons, the suspect did not succumb until the youths placed a tire around his neck and set him on fire.

“This action took place in the presence of a police patrol team who stumbled upon the youths while they were beating the criminal.

The police could not do anything because immediately they saw the criminal, they called him by his name and said that he had been involved in a series of armed robbery cases,” Abo noted.

As of press time, the Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, was neither reachable by telephone nor did she respond to text messages sent to her.