LAGOS AUGUST 30TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Residents of Oghara community in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta are celebrating over the death of an alleged notorious criminal in the area.
Eyewitnesses said the deceased, identified as Onos Okeribo, was lynched by a mob following his arrest by members of the community vigilante group.
A photograph of the incident showed the lifeless body of Onos in a pool of blood with broken bottles, sticks and stones scattered around his battered head.
The deceased is alleged to be the ringleader of a daredevil criminal gang blamed for years of audacious kidnappings, armed robberies and pipeline vandalism in Oghara and environs.
Eyewitnesses said Onos, who had been on the wanted lists of both the police and Oghara community, was arrested in Benin, in neighbouring Edo State, adding that his captors took him to the local government headquarters where residents descended on him.
According to them, the police could not rescue the suspect as they were outnumbered by the angry residents who vowed to deal with anyone that stood on their way.
A resident, who asked not to be named, alleged that the arrest and killing of Onos got the nod of the local government chairman, Mr. Solomon Golley. The source further alleged that the suspect was killed at a street junction close to the private residence of the local government chairman. When contacted, the council boss confirmed the incident, but dismissed the allegation that he sanctioned the mob action.
“You should know I can never sanction an act of jungle justice as the chief security officer of the local government.
“Although, I tried to intervene in order to at least save the life of the suspect for prosecution, the mob turned against me.
“I can understand their anger because Oghara has been under the grip of kidnappers and armed robbers for years now.
“The situation has degenerated to the level where landlords and civil servants who are targets are relocating from the community. It is that bad.
“But that does not give anybody the powers to take the laws into their hands,” he said.
The latest incident came barely two months after a mob of angry residents lynched two secondary school students in the community over alleged armed robbery.
On July 6, a suspected armed robber was set ablaze by a mob in Uvwie Local Government Area days after another suspect was lynched in Emede, Isoko South Local Government Area of the state.