Mob lynches, burns innocent Okada rider in Gboko

Mob lynches, burns innocent Okada rider in Gboko

By Johnson Arua

Tragedy struck in Gboko town, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State when a commercial motorcyclist was lynched and set ablaze by a mob after being wrongly accused of stealing a Bajaj motorcycle.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred near the War U Sarwuan area, close to Tofi Grammar School, when the victim, an okada rider, was mistaken for a fleeing motorcycle thief.

It was gathered that the mob had been chasing a suspected thief when the unsuspecting rider, who was ahead of them, lost control of his motorcycle while attempting to avoid the frenzied crowd. His passenger reportedly fled the scene, leaving him behind with the bike.

Despite his pleas of innocence and presentation of identification to prove ownership of the motorcycle, the mob descended on him. One of the attackers was said to have struck him with a stone before the mob set him ablaze.

According to residents, moments after the gruesome killing, the actual owner of the motorcycle arrived and confirmed that the deceased was innocent, explaining that the bike had been purchased just two weeks earlier.

The victim was described as a responsible husband and father of three children. His body was later evacuated by police operatives, the witnesses added.