The Ondo State Government has reacted to a disturbing recourse to jungle justice by its public. This is especially true when citizens are attacked, and killed, based on one flimsy excuse or the other, especially on allegations of Internet scam, laced with ritual killing, commonly referred to as Yahoo Plus.
The Ag. Governor, His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has expressed shock and disbelief, on the recent mob attack that led to the stoning to death of 35-year old Tope Olorunfemi at Ijoka Area of Akure.
The young man, riding in a Toyota car, reportedly ran into a motorcyclist and his passenger, resulting in some fatalities.
Death of Guess
The mob lynched 35-year-old man, OlorunFemi Tope, after he reportedly crushed four persons to death in an accident at ljoka area of Akure, the Ondo state capital, on Monday.
The victim was alleged to be an internet fraudster by the mob.
His parents, who reportedly rushed to the scene while the mob were stoning him, escaped death by whiskers.
The mob reportedly encircled the parents, after identifying the victim as their son.
But for the timely arrival and intervention of police detectives, they too would’ve been lynched by the irate mob.
They also set ablaze the Toyota vehicle driven by the 35-year-old victim.
An eyewitness said that “the Yahoo boy was driving a Toyota car along the road and suddenly skidded off its lane to crush the victims, who were on commercial motorcycles also known as Okada.
“The driver rammed about five commercial motorcycles carrying passengers at different spots along Ijo Mimo, through Sunday bus stop, Ijoka Road.
“The victims died on the spot, while others sustained serious injuries.
“Immediately the accident happened some sympathisers, who rushed to rescue the victims and the driver, later reportedly found some fetish items inside the driver’s vehicle, raising suspension that the he is a ‘Yahoo Boy’.
“Angered by their discovery in the car, the sympathisers descended on the driver.
“The driver of the Toyota car, who did not sustain any injury, was said to be trying to escape from the scene when he was caught by some youths and was beaten and stoned to death.”
Speaking on the incident, the spokesperson for the state police command, Funmi Odunlami, confirmed that the mob killed the driver of the vehicle that crushed the victims to death.
Odunlami, however, said that only two persons were killed by the driver during the accident.
According to her, “No one can confirm if the young man in question is an internet fraudster.
“There was an accident that led to the death of a motorcyclist. Rather than people around to help, some resorted to jungle justice by killing the young man OlorunFemi Tope, aged 35, who drove the vehicle and set the car ablaze.
“But for the quick intervention of the police, his parents too would have been killed. In all two people were confirmed dead.
Odunlami added that “six others involved and injured in the accident are currently in the hospital.”
Government’s Reaction
The government condemns in strong terms the incident and said all those found culpable will be made to face the full wrath of law.
“While government does not condone criminality in whatever guise, it also does not subscribe to people taking laws into their hands. It was reported, that the quick intervention of law enforcement agents, saved the parents of the deceased from suffering the same fate as their son. Sadly, they watched in horror and total helplessness as their son was pummeled to death,” a statement signed by Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, reads.
“His Excellency, Hon. Aiyedatiwa urges Ondo State citizens to have trust in the rule of law, as government will not condone any form of mob action and hooliganism in the administration of Justice in Ondo State.
The government is saddened by this development and commiserates with all the families that lost their loved ones as a result of this incident while praying for quick recovery for those that sustained injuries.”
