A suspected thief was set on fire by an enraged mob in Ekiugbo community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. The unidentified individual lost his life after being apprehended for stealing construction materials, specifically alumaco, from a new hotel building site in the area.
According to a local source, the suspect had a history of theft and had been caught stealing on multiple occasions. On this particular day, he was caught by the community vigilantes while attempting to steal alumaco materials. Despite previous instances of being caught stealing, he had managed to evade serious consequences until this tragic incident occurred.
The source recounted that the incident took place at Iwhrenene junction, where the suspect was ultimately set ablaze by an angry mob. This decision came after repeated attempts to deter him from his stealing activities had failed.
Interestingly, the suspect had previously received assistance from the community in the form of a tricycle, given to him to help him earn a livelihood. However, he had abandoned this opportunity and even left a bricklaying job before turning to theft once again.
Efforts to obtain comments from both the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, and the Community Vigilante Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Ovwigho, were unsuccessful, as they did not respond to calls or messages during the time of reporting.
Source: Vanguard
