By Ado Oyeyemi
A woman was lynched and set ablaze by an angry mob in the Maraban Jos area of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State after she was accused of attempting to steal children.
The tragic incident, which occurred on Sunday, threw the community into turmoil and raised concerns over the growing trend of jungle justice fueled by unverified allegations.
Residents said the victim, believed to be a married woman and mother, was on her way to attend an Islamic lecture when some youths accused her of child theft.
The allegation reportedly spread rapidly, attracting a large crowd that attacked her before security operatives arrived at the scene.
Police officers were said to have rescued the woman and taken her to a nearby police facility for protection and investigation.
However, the situation later escalated when hundreds of youths reportedly besieged the police station, demanding that the woman be handed over to them.
Despite efforts by security personnel to calm the crowd, the protesters allegedly overpowered officers on duty, dragged the woman out of custody and set her ablaze.
A resident who spoke on the incident condemned the mob action, noting that the victim had merely been heading to an Islamic school when the accusation was made.
He said it was disturbing that an allegation without proof could result in such a tragic outcome, adding that the matter should have been left for law enforcement authorities to investigate.
Another resident attributed the violent reaction to growing fears among locals over recurring rumours of child theft in the area, which he said had heightened suspicion and tension within the community.
The spokesperson for the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the incident, describing the allegation against the woman as baseless.
According to him, the Divisional Police Officer in Maraban Jos received a distress call around 10 a.m. informing him that a mob was attacking a woman over an unsubstantiated child theft claim.
Hassan said the DPO immediately mobilised officers to the scene, rescued the victim and took her into protective custody.
He added that the mob later stormed the police station, overpowered security personnel and forcefully removed the woman before killing and burning her.
The police spokesperson described the act as barbaric and a serious violation of the rule of law.
He disclosed that several suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other individuals involved.
Hassan assured that a full-scale investigation had commenced and vowed that all those responsible would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Sources also said one youth was reportedly shot during the unrest, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries as security operatives attempted to restore order.
