Three burnt to death for kidnapping

Three persons burnt to death over alleged kidnap in Osogbo
THREE persons, suspected to be kidnappers, were on Friday, burnt to death in
Osogbo, the Osun State capital. Investigation revealed that youths, led by
commercial motorcyclists, combed the town to pick up the suspected kidnappers
in different parts of Osogbo, and attacked them with sticks, woods cudgel and later
set them ablaze with disused tyres. A suspect was burnt to death at the Ayetoro
area of the city by an irate mob, while the other two were burnt at Plantation and
Igbona areas of the town. Another suspected kidnapper, Segun Akinwale, was on
Thursday, rescued by the police from being lynched in the Alekuwodo area of the
town for allegedly attempting to kidnap a child before his mother found out. His
alleged confession was said to have irked the youths, mostly the okada’s riders. It
was gathered that the suspect allegedly confessed that nine of his colleagues are
already at different parts of the town to kidnap children in Osogbo and its
environs. Based on the alleged confession, angry youths moved round Osogbo in
search of other kidnappers, during which the three suspects were burnt to death.
At Ayetoro area of Osogboa, it was gathered that the suspected kidnapper was
found with a baby inside a bag he carried. Drivers at the Ayetoro junction were
said to have challenged the suspected kidnapper, who reportedly dressed like an
insane person, and opened the bag that was found with him. It was, however not
certain if the boy allegedly kidnapped and found in the bag was alive or dead. The
development allegedly prompted the youths in the area to mobilize others and set
the suspected kidnapper ablaze. A similar incident occurred at the Plantation and
Igbona areas of the town where youths of the area set ablaze those suspected to
have kidnapped some children in the area. The police have been deployed round
Osogbo to prevent further break down of law and order. Meanwhile, the state
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Maishanu, has condemned the trend of
burning of suspects in the state, describing it as jungle justice, which he said was
against the law. He said the state would not be allowed to be turned into a theater
of crisis, vowing that the police would do everything possible to forestall further
breakdown of law and order. Assuring that the police would conduct thorough
investigation on the incident, the Police Commissioner warned that people should
desist from taking laws into their hands. Also speaking, the state governor, Mr.
Rauf Aregbesola, condemned the development. He warned the residents against
jungle justice, saying cases of criminal activities should be reported to law
enforcement agencies, rather than the people taking the laws into their hands.
Speaking through his Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu
Okanlawon, in a statement, the governor stressed that the state government would
join hands with relevant security agencies to ensure proper security of lives and
property of the people of the state.