Angry mob set man ablaze, vandalize police station in Kwara

From Oluseyi Dasilva Ilorin

A group of yet to be identified youths on Wednesday evening set fire on a middle-aged man alleged to have kidnapped and killed an Okada operator in Oro town in Irepodun local government area of Kwara state.
Femi Tetteh, the suspected victim had allegedly hired the service of an Okada Operator Ganiyu Tunde popularly called Afobaje at their park, Oke-Ola area, Oro to convey him to Agbamu a nearby town of about eight kilometers away.
Investigations reveal that Femi Tetteh went with the Okada operator and allegedly overpowered him, murdered and also stole his motorcycle.
Further investigation revealed that other operators started feeling apprehensive when the Okada operator, Ganiyu failed to show up on Sunday, and they organized a search party only to discover his corpse in a bush around Agbamu on Tuesday evening but without the motorcycle.
Femi was later arrested by the Police on Tuesday evening when the matter was reported at Oro Police station.
However, according to a source, who spoke under anonymity, said that the mob had a rethink based on the fact that Femi is not a first time offender, he had previously been arrested on similar charges, dragged to the police only to be released on bail a few days later. This is what infuriated the irate mob that besieged the Oro police station early Wednesday morning, where the suspect was being detained, demanding his release to them for “proper judgment”.
Another source, who said he was at the scene of the incident said that police refusal to yield to the demand of the people, resulted in a attack on the station because the police shot into the air to scare and disperse the growing number of people.
The police action, it was gathered, infuriated the people in the community, as they descended on the police station and vandalized the building.
It was reported that the situation got tensed and uncontrollable for the policemen as the people later took out the suspect, set him ablaze and also vandalized the police station.
The sources said that the deceased motorcycle operator (okada) had been tricked by some hoodlums, believed to include Femi Tetteh, into a bush in Agbamu, collected his motorcycle and later killed him.
Police source in Oro said that the suspect, Femi of Salawa area Oro, was burnt alive by angry mob, while his remains had been deposited at Omu Aran general hospital.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Kwara Command, Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the incident but said that investigation had commenced into the matter while matters had been put under control.
He said that the Police repelled an attempt by some people to impose jungle justice on a suspect already kept in the Police station stating that that was the reason why the station was attacked.
He said that the Police called for reinforcement from the Area Command at Omu-Aran who put the situation under control.
Okasanmi said that the burnt remains of the suspect was later deposited at Omu-Aran general hospital.
The PPRO said that Police had commenced investigation on the matter.