Jungle Justice: Robbery Suspects Set Ablaze In C/River

For allegedly waylaying traders from Akwa Ibom, three young men suspected to be armed robbers, have been burnt to death in Cross River state.
Reports credited to Vanguard have it that the men were set ablaze in a popular market in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State on Thursday afternoon, while women who witnessed the gory scene broke into uncontrollable tears.


The aggrieved Crossriverians claimed that some traders from Akwa Ibom State who throng the market every five days to buy food stuff at the markets motor park were blocked and robbed of the money they came with to buy food stuff.

The young men comprised of two indigenes of the area and one from Ebonyi State.

Three robbers set ablaze by angry youths
Maria Ipuole, one of the eyewitnesses during the incident, explained to Vanguard that Wednesday was the eve of Okuku market and many traders from Calabar (Akwa Ibom and Rivers) usually throng the area on the eve of the market so that they could buy yams and garri early before everything is bought by others. They usually sleep in the market park before the market day because of the bad roads and distance.
She explained further that at about 7 pm on Wednesday when the bus carrying the traders arrived the park, the boys reportedly armed with locally-made pistols and machetes, attacked the traders and dispossessed them of their money and phones killing one of them in the process.

Crowd gathered to watch the execution of the robbers

Ipuole said: “the death of one of the traders angered the youths of Okuku who began a manhunt for the robbers since one of the traders recognised one of them and by afternoon they had apprehended all of them and killed them with machetes.”

Reports say the suspects were first inflicted with machete cuts before being set ablaze in a bonfire to serve as a deterrent to other youths who may have such intentions.

“Okuku market is popular all over the country and if our young men are allowed to turn the place to a robbery haven, then the market will soon die,” one of the irate youths was quoted to have said.

Commenting on the incident, Mr. Hogan Bassey, spokesman of the Cross River Police Command, noted that they can only give details of the incident when the DPO briefs them or sends his brief, which is expected within the week.

Crowd watches as the robbers roast to death

One of the robbers beaten to stupor before he was burnt