By Wealth Oghenemaro
Tragedy struck on Thursday at the popular Ipata Market in Ilorin, Kwara State, when a destitute woman was lynched by an angry mob over a false allegation of child abduction.
The incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. after the homeless woman, who was reportedly loitering around the market, was suddenly accused of attempting to kidnap a child. Without any form of verification, a mob pounced on her, beating her mercilessly.
Police patrol teams arrived at the scene and managed to rescue the victim, rushing her to the General Hospital in Ilorin. Sadly, doctors pronounced her dead on arrival due to the severity of her injuries. Her remains have since been deposited at the hospital’s morgue.
Spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, condemned the act in strong terms, describing it as “barbaric and lawless.”
“Mob justice does not solve crime; it only endangers innocent lives and erodes public safety,” she warned.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Adekimi Ojo, also expressed deep concern over the incident, urging residents to resist the temptation of jungle justice. He emphasized that suspicious persons or activities should be reported directly to the police for proper investigation.
The Command assured that discreet investigations are ongoing and appealed to citizens to uphold law and order rather than take the law into their own hands.
