Tension In Suleja As Mob K!lls Motorist After Accusing Him Of Theft
In what will come across as a really tragic development, a middle-aged man has been k!lled by a mob of motorbike riders in the Rafinseyi area of Suleja, Niger State.
According to SaharaReporters, it was learnt that the incident occurred on Friday, while preliminary investigations revealed that the victim, a mechanic, was falsely accused of theft, which led to a deadly chase and eventual lynching.
According to findings, the incident began near the Madalla area when the victim, while driving, accidentally hit a pedestrian, he however did not stop afterwards, leading to a pursuit by commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as “okada riders.”
Eyewitnesses said that some of the riders began shouting “Barawo! Barawo!”—a Hausa word meaning “thief”—as they pursued him. Their cries attracted the attention of dozens of other motorcyclists, who joined the chase under the impression that a thief was trying to escape.
“He had hit someone near the Madalla area and did not stop. Some motorcycle riders began pursuing him, shouting ‘Barawo! Barawo!’ which made others join in,” an eyewitness told SaharaReporters.
The pursuit intensified as the victim sped toward the Rafinseyi area. Despite his efforts to escape, the mob eventually caught up with him and descended on him violently.
“He was k!lled after they caught up with his vehicle near Rafinseyi in the Suleja area.
They celebrated after k!lling him, with some believing he had stolen something,” the eyewitness added.
Multiple sources revealed that the individual who was initially hit by the victim’s vehicle survived the accident.
However, it remains unclear why the victim (one k!lled by mob) chose not to stop after the incident, a decision that may have tragically sealed his fate.
Locals later confirmed to SaharaReporters that the man was a mechanic known within the community.
The incident has sparked outrage and concern over the increasing prevalence of mob justice in Nigeria, where mere accusations—often unfounded—can lead to violent and deadly outcomes.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the k!lling, and or confirm if arrests have been confirmed at the time of filing this report.
SaharaReporters reached out to the Police Public Relations Officer for Niger State, Wasiu Abiodun. He promised to revert on the issue but was yet to do so, as of the time of filing this report.
