Two suspected motorbike snatchers were on Friday lynched by an irate mob at Nyon community in the outskirts of Makurdi town.
Nigeriacrime.com also learned their bodies were burnt by the mob.
An eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity said the two young men had at about 2 am boarded the motorbike from the Katsina-Ala Street area of the town to Nyon community where they attempted to snatch the motorbike.
According to him, “From what the ‘okada’ rider told the youths who burnt the criminals, the two of them were picked from Katsina-Ala street in the High-Level area of Makurdi town to be dropped in Nyon.
“He said on getting to Nyon, they directed him into a street which he followed. But because it was too late, when he got to a point, the okada man told his passengers to pay him so that he could get back but they insisted they did not have money on them and that they would get the money from the house on getting home.
“While he made to leave without being paid, the young men grabbed him and requested that he gave them his motorcycle key.
“As he refused to hand them the keys, they struggled with him to forcefully take possession of the bike key but they ran out of luck when the okada rider raised an alarm.
“His outcry attracted the attention of the youths of the communities who came out in their numbers and gave the suspects a good chase and caught them.
“They beat them to death after which their bodies were set ablaze with motor tyres.”
The witness lamented that the incidents of motorcycle snatching had become rampant in Makurdi town and the youths had vowed to mete jungle justice on any suspect caught in the act to serve as a deterrent.
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene, confirmed that she received a report on the incident saying “some officers have been detailed to the community to find out what happened.”