Makurdi, Sept. 2, 2025 — A suspected motorcycle thief was lynched and set ablaze by a mob along Ibrahim Kashim Road in Makurdi, Benue State capital, on Tuesday.

According to eyewitness accounts, the incident unfolded after two passengers reportedly hired an okada rider to take them to the railway quarters within Makurdi. On arrival, another accomplice, who had been waiting at the spot, joined the group.

Andrew Tergu, an eyewitness, recounted that instead of paying for the fare, one of the suspects attacked the motorcyclist with scissors, stabbing him multiple times.

“As soon as the rider fell and cried for help, the three suspects attempted to flee with the motorcycle,” Tergu told reporters. “But one of them fell off, and people pounced on him, dragged him to the main road and set him on fire.”

By the time police officers and sanitation workers arrived at the scene, the suspect had already been killed and his remains were being cleared.

Police React

Confirming the incident, Benue State Police Command spokesperson, Udeme Edet, said preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased had only recently been released from a correctional centre after serving a sentence for a similar crime.

“Immediately we received the report, a team was dispatched, but before officers could arrive, the mob had already set him ablaze,” Edet said. “We later discovered that he had just been released from prison for the same offence.”

While condemning the attack, Edet warned residents against taking laws into their own hands.

“The command strongly condemns this act of jungle justice. No matter the offence, suspects should be handed over to the police for proper investigation and prosecution. We will no longer tolerate such actions,” she said.

Rising Concerns

The latest incident highlights growing concerns over mob justice in parts of Nigeria, where communities frustrated by rising crime often resort to taking the law into their own hands. Rights groups have repeatedly called on authorities to strengthen law enforcement and restore public trust in the justice system.