There was pandemonium Saturday afternoon in Lugbe, along the Abuja Airport road as a mob killed and set ablaze a member of a vigilante group for allegedly making a blasphemous statement.
An eyewitness who confirmed the incident to Nigeria Info said trouble started when members of the vigilante group operating around the Lugbe timber shed market at the Federal Housing Authority Estate wanted to arrest some residents wandering around the market in the wee hours of Saturday.
The residents reportedly begged the members of the group in the name of Allah and pleaded to be freed.
One of the vigilantes however refused to accept their plea and was said to have made comments considered to be blasphemous.
A trader in the market who spoke in confidence said the vigilante was beaten and stoned before he was set ablaze.
A statement released by the FCT Police Command Saturday confirming the incident said the police have ensured the return of normalcy to the area.
The statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh noted that one Ahmad Usman a 30-year-old member of the local vigilante around Tippa Garage at Federal Housing Estate in Lugbe Area of the FCT, on Saturday (4 June) got into an argument with a Cleric (mallam) whose name is yet to be released.
It added that the heated argument degenerated into an outbreak of violence that led to the murder and setting ablaze of Ahmad Usman by the enraged mob mobilised by the clergy numbering about 200.
According to the statement, "Upon the receipt of this information, a quick intervention team comprising of the Surveillance and Ambush Team of the command attached to the Lugbe Divisional Police Headquarters was drafted to the scene where the enflamed victim was rescued, suffering severe degrees of burn and taken immediately to the hospital where he was confirmed dead by a doctor.
"Normalcy has since been restored to the situation, while monitoring and surveillance of the area continues.
“Residents are therefore urged to go about their lawful duties without fear or apprehension of any kind from any quarters as the discrete investigation continues to unravel facts surrounding the ugly incident and to effect the arrest of the perpetrators therein.
The Commissioner of Police, Babaji Sunday while warning against the indiscriminate act of self-help in obtaining justice known as jungle justice, stated that adequate sanctions will be meted on “subscribers of this crude and dastardly act."
