The residents of Abak Road in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state has on Wednesday burned to ashes two armed robbers caught robbing a pregnant woman.
It was learnt that the robbers were initially four in number but two others managed to escape during the chaos.
An eyewitness who requested to be anonymous said the incident occurred on Tuesday night, when the robbers attacked the pregnant woman immediately she alighted from a commercial motorcycle.
According to the eye witness, the motorcyclist had driven away after dropping her but was forced to turn back when he heard screams from the pregnant woman.
He stated that two of the robbers on sighting him approaching took to their heels but two others were caught and set ablaze after handing over the woman’s valuables were
Another witness, tricycle operator revealed that the woman’s screams caused the neighbors and residents of the area to come out to assist the motorcyclist to rescue the woman who had sustained a severe hand injury and arrest the robbers.
In his statement, he said;
Luck ran out of two of them when they were overpowered by many men who beat, stoned them with blocks and locked them up in the same tunnel and set them ablaze.
He lamented that hoodlums have been terrorizing the area for some years now, noting that the hoodlums had already robbed some houses before their encounter with the pregnant woman.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Macdon however said;
It is unfortunate that they were already set ablaze before we got there. Jungle justice has no place in the law. Every accused is innocent until proven guilty by law.
The PPRO while condemning the act of jungle justice, added that;
It is better for nine thieves to be allowed unpunished than for one innocent person to be killed in error.
He revealed that they have contacted the state waste management authority to evacuate the remains while investigation to apprehend those behind the act would continue.
