Mob beats wrong person to death over stolen car battery in Lagos

An angry mob have been accused of beating a wrong person to death, over a car battery allegedly stolen at Nato Park, Tin Can Island, Apapa, Lagos.

The 45-year-old man, Yusuf Ibrahim who works around Tin Can First Gate – some distance from the park, was beaten to death on Monday, January 7, 2019, around 7.30am after one of the truck drivers who resumed duty that morning, discovered that the battery of his vehicle was missing. The deceased who is said to be one of the destitute people, who sometimes passed the night on the premise where trucks are parked, was accused of stealing the car battery by some drivers.

A commercial motorcyclist (popularly known as okada rider) in the area identified as Salisu, who confirmed that the mob had beaten the wrong person to death, disclosed that 30 minutes after the incident, the police came to remove the corpse.

 “I was on my motorcycle, coming from Liverpool, Apapa that morning when I saw a crowd at the park. I moved closer and saw a man (Ibrahim) covered in blood. He had been beaten to a pulp. I asked people what happened and they told me he stole the battery of a truck.
“The man had lost his strength and he was almost dead. Passersby were afraid to take him to a hospital. I later left the scene for fear of being implicated” he said.
“It was discovered that the battery was actually stolen by a young man called Yahaya. I learnt he worked around Tin Can First Gate,” the okada rider added.

Lagos police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Chike Oti, who confirmed the incident said six suspects, including Yahaya, had been arrested.

“On Monday, around 7.30am, we received information that one Yusuf Ibrahim, aged 45, of  Nato Park, Tin Can Island, Apapa, was allegedly beaten to death by some drivers at the aforesaid address.
“A team of detectives was swiftly dispatched to the scene upon receiving the distress call. It was found out that the deceased was wrongly alleged to have stolen a truck battery, which was later found with one Yusuf Yahaya. The victim’s corpse has been evacuated to the Apapa General Hospital morgue for autopsy. However, the said Yusuf Yahaya and five other suspects that carried out the jungle justice on the deceased have been arrested” he said.
“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded,” he added.