A yet to be identified young man whose hand was chopped off from the wrist on Friday by an irate mob over a false allegation of having stolen a motorcycle has made a heart-wrenching appeal to the Edo State police commissioner and Nigerians to join him in the fight for justice.
One of the perpetrators of the barbaric attack was however apprehended by residents of the area where the incident occurred and thoroughly beaten up.
The two victims of jungle justice were captured in a video which went viral on social media on Friday – one with an amputated hand from the wrist and the other with the amputated hand put on his head.
Reacting to the footage, the Edo State Police Command said it has launched a probe into the brutalisation of the duo.
The command’s deputy public relations officer, PRO, Eno Ikoedem, an assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in a statement on Saturday, noted that the disturbing occurrences were captured in a viral video on social media.
She said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, had ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disturbing incidences.
Sources in the area where the gory incident occurred disclosed that the amputee was attacked with a machete and left for dead by angry youths after being falsely accused of stealing a motorcycle.
He was said to have been lucky to be alive because when his assailants returned to confirm if he was dead, he was nowhere to be found as he had crawled away from the spot on his belly to hide. He later came out when he was convinced his attackers had gone and he was able to get the help of his neighbours who quickly mobilised themselves and apprehended one of them as they fled.
He was said to have been severely beaten by a mob and the falsely accused victim’s chopped off hand placed on his head.
The unfortunate amputee was said to have eventually been rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, (UBTH) Accident and Emergency Ward for urgent medical care after some hospitals reportedly rejected him.
Narrating his ordeal from his hospital bed, the middle-aged man alleged that he was attacked alongside his younger brother whose whereabouts he said was unknown.
According to him, “yesterday (Friday), my younger brother and I were going to get an article at a nearby shop in my area around the Bypass. I saw a group of motorcycle riders (Aboki) from a nearby distance.
“I started sensing danger when they started advancing towards our direction. But I had no reason to run because we didn’t commit any crime.
“Suddenly, they stopped us and wanting to attack us. My brother and I started to run. As I was about to jump into a nearby uncompleted building in the area, they used a block to hit me on my head. I became unconscious and they left the scene.
“About 30 minutes later, I regained consciousness and realised that one of my wrists has left my body. I was feeling severe pain and bleeding seriously. I struggled to run into a nearby bush suspecting that they may return and kill me.
“While I was in the bush for over three hours, they came looking for me, but I had to hide. After much search, they left again. When I noticed that they have gone, I crawled out of the bush path and alerted my neighbours who took me to the UBTH.
“Shortly after my arrival, information reached me that the Aboki (used to describe an Hausa man) who stole their motorcycle has been caught, while people in my area were searching for my missing wrist.
“I am appealing to the Commissioner of Police to join me in fighting this fight. I plead with Nigerians to join me in fighting this fight because I now have one hand and I cannot fight for myself”.
Vowing to get to the root of the dastardly incidents, the Edo Police Command said, “The attention of the Edo State Police Command has been drawn to viral videos circulating on social media depicting two young men in distressing conditions.
“In one of the videos, a young man is seen lying on a hospital bed at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, with his hand allegedly severed from the wrist following an attack. Another video shows a different young man visibly brutalised, seated on the ground with a severed hand placed on his head.
“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, Monday Agbonika has ordered an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding these disturbing incidents. The Command is committed to uncovering the truth and bringing all persons involved to justice.”
Ikoedem also called on the men in the video or anyone who can identify or establish contact with them to reach out to the command.
“In furtherance of this investigation, the Command is calling on the young men who appear in the aforementioned videos, or anyone who can identify or establish contact with them, to please reach out urgently to the Office of the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) at the Edo State Police Command Headquarters, Benin City or call these numbers, 08077773721, 08037646272.
“The Command assures the public that every necessary step will be taken to get to the root of the matter and ensure that justice is served.
“While the investigation is ongoing, we urge members of the public to remain calm, avoid speculation, refrain from spreading unverified information that may cause panic or hinder police investigations and the command strongly condemns all forms of mob action, as such acts are criminal, unjustifiable, and contrary to the principles of law and order. Citizens are reminded that no individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands.
“The Edo State Police Command reiterates its zero tolerance for jungle justice and warns that anyone found participating in such acts will face the full weight of the law.”
