Mob beats motorcyclist for allegedly aiding robbers

But for the intervention of the police, a 26-year-old motocyclist, Tunde Adewale, would have died after a mob attacked him on Ijegun Community Road in the Ikotun area of Lagos.

PUNCH Metro learnt that a mob had gathered round Adewale and beaten him to stupor on the allegation that he aided two robbers to escape on his motorcycle.

The incident occurred on Monday, April 20, at about 1pm.

Our correspondent gathered that a police patrol team from the Ikotun Police Division later found the motorcyclist in a pool of blood and abandoned by the roadside.

A police source told our correspondent that residents, who attacked Adewale, also suspected that he was a robber.

He said, “The people in the area believed that he was an armed robber. That was why he suffered a mob attack. They were three on the motorcycle and when residents tried to accost them, two of them escaped.

“So, the people pounced on him and beat him up. He was later abandoned by the roadside, where the police picked him up. He was still breathing, but his face was covered with blood and bruises.”

After the policemen rescued him, our correspondent learnt that the suspect was transferred to SARS for further investigation.

According to a resident, identified simply as Kolawole, Adewale was beaten up after the two men, who residents suspected to be robbers, ran away when they were questioned.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Adewale, who has regained consciousness, said he was not a robber, adding that he suspected that the passengers he picked were cult members.

The Irewole, Osun State-indigene, said, “It was actually the two passengers that wanted to snatch my motorcycle. I later learnt they were cult boys. People who noticed later came around and started beating me up without an explanation.

“I was mistaken for a robber. They attacked and abandoned me by the roadside. I am still in pains.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, could not be reached for comments.