A suspected thief was reportedly beaten to death by a mob on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 near the Modern Market area in Makurdi, Benue State, after allegedly attempting to steal valuables from a church.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the deceased, along with two other individuals, broke into a church office, taking valuables before attempting to flee. Residents nearby witnessed the suspects escaping and raised an alarm, which led to a chase. While two of the suspects managed to escape, one was apprehended and subsequently beaten to death by an angry mob.
One resident, who recounted the incident, stated, “Although robbers have been terrorising us here for a while now, today, while I was coming back from work, a girl who was going to a church nearby said that she saw three young men enter the church.”
The resident continued, noting that it was the girl who initially raised the alarm, drawing the attention of neighbors and sparking the pursuit. “It was the girl who later raised the alarm, which drew the attention of neighbours around, and immediately we saw them (the suspects) trying to escape. While two of the suspects escaped, one of them was unlucky, as people hacked him to death.”
It was learnt that Local authorities were alerted to the incident, and police officers later arrived at the scene to handle the situation. The body of the deceased suspect was evacuated and taken to a nearby morgue.
Harry Ekwo, the Assistant Public Relations Officer for the Benue State Police Command, confirmed the incident to newsmen.
However, Ekwo stated that the police were yet to confirm if the deceased was indeed an armed robber, as no formal report regarding a theft from the church had been filed. “No one has made any formal report of any church theft, although the police have evacuated the corpse and deposited it in a morgue,” he said.
This incident underscores a rising concern over security and the issue of mob justice in the area, as residents report ongoing struggles with criminal activities.
Meanwhile, Community members expressed frustration over the perceived increase in crime, highlighting their fears and the community’s response to such incidents.
