LAGOS—A man, suspected to be a member of the dreaded Badoo gang, was, yesterday, lynched by a mob at Aga area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
Meanwhile, three persons were hit by stray bullets from policemen, who attempted to prevent the jungle justice being meted on the victim.
Information at Vanguard’s disposal has it that the Badoo suspect was apprehended by members of a vigilante group at the wee hours of yesterday, while attempting to strangle a motorcyclist and dispossess him of his motorbike.
The suspect, who identified himself as Vincent, was interrogated by the vigilante group and kept in a room. While in the room, Vincent was said to have applied black oil on his body and attempted to escape through a window, only to be caught.
When policemen got wind of the arrest, they stormed Oni-Ogunsanya Street, with the intention to pick the suspect. But the move was resisted by residents, who insisted on lynching the suspect as they argued that over 50 persons had been sent to their early graves by the Badoo boys.
In a bid to disperse the crowd, the policemen reportedly released some gunshots, in the process of which three persons were hit.
An unconfirmed report said two persons died on the spot. But Lagos State Police Command stated that no life was lost.
The shooting sparked up violence as the mob reportedly brought the suspect out and set him ablaze. Police story
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, visited the scene, advising the crowd to desist from resorting to jungle justice. He also assured them that he was personally leading investigations on insecurity in Ikorodu, assuring that members of Badoo gang and their sponsors would be arrested.
The command spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, when contacted, said no life was lost except that of the suspect lynched by the mob, noting “police have taken charge of the area and investigation is ongoing.”
