A yet-to-be identified middle-aged man, accused of attempting to kidnap a boy, was on Saturday beaten to death by a mob in Omuo Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Area, Ekiti State.
The incident occurred at Iludofin quarters of Omuo Ekiti where the deceased attempted to kidnap a seven-year-old boy but was apprehended by angry youths.
An eyewitness revealed that the incident happened around 2:30p.m. when the pupils were returning from school. He disclosed that the attempted kidnapping went sour when a man, who was defecating in a nearby bush, sighted the deceased and raised the alarm as the suspected kidnapper was forcibly dragging the boy into the surrounding bush.
Residents were said to have trooped out en masse and pounced on the suspect, beating him to coma.
“The suspect was trailing the boy home from school. When he realised that he had reached a footpath, he pounced on him and started dragging him into the bush. It was a man who was looking from afar that raised an alarm and the people caught him in the act and beat him to stupor. It was later that the police arrived and took him to the station.”
While confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP Sunday Abutu, said the man died immediately he got to the police station.
Abutu said it was the High Chief Odofin of Iludofin quarters that reported the matter to the police.
“When we got the information, the police rushed to the scene of the incident, but the man had already gone into coma.
“The mob was thick, but the police tried and rescued him and the intention was to first take him to the station for a cover before taking him to the hospital for medical attention. Unfortunately, he died in the station as a result of the beating”.
Abutu said the suspect’s body had been deposited in the morgue at Omuo Ekiti General Hospital while investigation into the matter continues.
The police spokesman, however, cautioned against jungle justice, advising that any suspect arrested should be handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution.
By Ayodele Afolabi
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