A suspected electricity transformer vandal was lynched and set ablaze by an angry mob in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, during the early hours of Tuesday.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 a.m. at the junction of Palm Street and Target Road within the Calabar South Local Government Area. The victim, an unidentified male estimated to be in his 30s, was reportedly caught in the act of stripping components from a transformer that serves several major adjoining streets, including Ededem, Target, and Academy.
According to an eyewitness who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the alarm was raised by a resident, prompting a swift and violent gathering of local individuals. The suspect was apprehended and severely beaten before being set on fire by the roadside.
The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the development through its spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah. He stated that by the time a police patrol team reached the location, the mob had already carried out the extrajudicial killing and fled the scene.
"Preliminary information indicates that an unidentified male, alleged to be involved in vandalising a transformer, was reportedly apprehended by a mob and subsequently burnt to death before the arrival of the police," Eitokpah said in an official statement.
Investigators at the scene recovered several items, including an old model electricity meter box, pieces of copper wire, and various electric cables believed to be vandalised materials. The police have since coordinated with the Environmental Health Services and local government authorities to evacuate the remains of the deceased.
The Command has strongly condemned the act of "jungle justice", describing it as both illegal and unacceptable. ASP Eitokpah emphasised that members of the public must resist the urge to take the law into their own hands and should instead hand over suspects to the appropriate authorities for formal investigation and prosecution.
An investigation is currently underway to identify and apprehend the individuals involved in the mob action. Further updates are expected as the police continue their inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.