Youths in Nyon, a suburb of Makurdi, the Benue State capital in the early hours of Friday, beat to a pulp, two suspected motorcycle snatchers and set them ablaze.
Timesreporters, learned that the two suspects met their end while on the verge of snatching a bike from a commercial cyclist before luck ran out of them.
The incident took place between 12 am and 1am on Friday.
When contacted, SP Sewuese Anene, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Benue State Command, who confirmed the incident noted that the Command has detailed its men to the community to find out what actually transpired.
However, she warned members of the public to desist from taking laws into their hands, urging them to report such persons to law enforcement agents for necessary action.
According to findings by our reporter, the okada rider had picked the deceased persons from Katsina Ala street in the High-level area to Nyon, but when he saw that they were about to take him to a lonely spot, he stopped and requested for his money.
He however, explained that the suspects told him that they had no money on them and will pay him, when they got home, but when he made to leave, they tried to wrest the key of the bike out of his hand.
It was also learned that it was in the process of the struggle that the cyclist screamed for help, drawing out youth in the area, who pursued and apprehended the culprits.
The suspects were then beaten and set ablaze.
Giving an account of what transpired, a man who simply identification himself as Terna, said, “They (deceased) told him (okada rider) to bring them to Nyon. On getting to Nyon, they directed him into a street which he followed.
“But because it was too late, when he got to a point, the okada man told his passengers to pay him so he can get back but they insisted they don’t have money on them and that they will get the money from the house when they get home.
“While he made to go, they grabbed him and requested that he hand over the motorcycle key. When he refused to hand them the keys, they started struggling with him and luck ran out on them when he raised an alarm.”
Terna who lamented that the incidences of motorcycle snatching has become a recurring decimal in Makurdi metropolis, noted that community members, especially youth have vowed that culprits would not go free when caught in the act.
