Some angry residents of the Atimbo area of Calabar Municipality Local Government Area of Cross River State have set a 22-year-old man, identified as Eyo ablaze for allegedly stealing a phone.
The victim, who was known for petty stealing and had been warned severally was reportedly killed on Sunday evening.
A source within the community disclosed that the phone was stolen on Saturday when the boy left the community only reappear on Sunday.
“I have known Eyo from secondary school, he has always been stealing, there was a time he stole half of the class’ school fees.
“Even as we grew into our 20s, Eyo became audacious in stealing and more notorious, he was always caught stealing, this is not the first time a mob action was carried out on him, he only met his end today.
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“They started by beating him with cutlass before setting him ablaze. Funny enough, it’s just for stealing an android phone,” he explained.
The witness recalled the angry mob beating the alleged thief with cutlass before setting him on fire.
Meanwhile, Police Command spokesperson in the State, SP Irene Ugbo, has confirmed the incident and decried the act.
While noting that it was unlawful for people to take laws into their hands, she said the rightful thing to do was to have reported the suspect to the nearest police station in the area.
“Killing him in the most gruesome manner through mob action is not only barbaric, it is illegal and unacceptable,” she stated.