Enraged youths in Agirgba Community of Vandiekya local government area of Benue State burnt a suspected armed robber to death in the early hours of Saturday.
The suspect was allegedly caught with stolen electric cables and other hospital equipment meant for a yet-to-be-commissioned clinic which was built and equipped by someone from the community.
An eyewitness in the area who identified himself as John in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, explained that at about 4am on Saturday, he heard a loud shout but when he came out, he did not know the direction of the noise.
He said when he eventually woke up around 6am to go for morning mass at St. Dominic Catholic Church, Agbatste, he saw people gathering on the road close to the church but on reaching there, he saw the corpse of the suspect which was burnt on the ground.
“I stopped and inquired to know what happened and the people told me that the man was burnt to death after he was caught by the youths in the Clinic which is build and equipped waiting for commissioning with the electric cables they used in wiring the place and other hospital equipment.
“On sighting the youths, the other suspect who was on the motorcycle but in hiding started his bike and fled the scene while the main suspect was caught and set ablaze by angry youths,” the source said.
He further narrated that, ” The clinic was built by our son to assist his community in accessing quality and affordable healthcare services following the absence of a health facility in the area to stop the challenge of sick persons trekking for distance before accessing medication.”
He said the suspect gained access into the clinic through the ceiling and cut all the electric wires and other hospital items which he was bringing with the expectation to join his colleague who was waiting on a motorcycle before luck ran out on him.
The source said the deceased vandal was overpowered by the youths while his collaborator on bike an escaped.
“The youths at the scene said if the man was not caught, the community would have summoned them to bring out the culprits that stole the items.”
As at the time of filling this report, our correspondent gathered that the burnt corpse of the suspect was still on the road.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Catherine Anene said she was yet to receive information about the incident.
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