Suspected kidnapper set ablaze in Lagos

A woman accused of an attempt to kidnap three primary school pupils in Ekoro area of Abule-Egba, Lagos was yesterday set ablaze by an angry mob.

The incident occurred barely 24 hours after two primary school pupils were rescued from a suspected kidnapper at Ile-Epo area of Egbe.

Report said the three pupils, two males and a female, whose ages were put between seven and 10 years, were on their way to school at about 7 a.m., when the unnamed woman accosted them on a pretense that she was taking them to school.

But a female hawker said to have suspected her moves reportedly alerted bystanders along Ekoro Road who challenged the woman. Eye witnesses said the woman claimed the children were hers, but the names she called them differed from those the children gave.

Eye witnesses further said the direction the woman was taking the children to was not that of the school the children attend. According to an eye witness, who gave his name as Chionye, “All the responses she gave were contrary to that given by the pupils. “

When asked of the name of the school, she had to strain her eyes to see if she could read it from the badge on the children’s school uniform. When we asked the pupils if they knew her, they shook their heads. “It was at that point that a man from the crowd that had gathered round her said the woman parked her car somewhere around the direction she was taking the children. “

Not satisfied with her explanation, the mob was said to have descended on her, in the process of which she was set ablaze before the arrival of policemen. The incident reportedly caused a hitch in the free flow of traffic.

Effort to get the reaction of the Lagos state Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, failed as she could not be reached on phone. Meanwhile, effort by another woman to kidnap two primary school pupils on Monday, at Ile-Epo area of Egbe was foiled by passers-by.

Report said the woman had succeeded in abducting the children and took them under the bridge and was making calls to some unknown person that she had found some ‘goods’ when she was apprehended. Passers-by, among whom was one Colonel Adeniran, reportedly kept the woman hostage before the arrival of policemen from Ejigbo division.

Sources at the division said investigation was on-going. The arrest brings to fore, five cases of foiled kidnap attempt in two weeks.