Mob assaults man for ‘stealing’ woman’s handbag in Abuja market

A man simply identified as Shehu was assaulted by a mob for allegedly stealing woman’s handbag at Kwaita village market in Kwali Area Council of the FCT.

A witness, who spoke when our reporter visited the market on Tuesday, said the incident happened around 9:35 am at the bushmeat section of the market.

He said when the owner of the bag, Mrs Patience Ayuba, who operates a restaurant in the area, was busy buying bushmeat, the suspect, who pretended to be buying also, quietly picked up the woman’s handbag and attempted to escape.

“You know the bush meat section of the market is always busy with many customers, especially women who operate restaurants from different places. So as the woman removed money to count to pay for the bush meat she bought, the man who pretended to be buying also, quietly picked the bag,” he narrated.

According to him, the woman raised the alarm when she could not find her bag, which attracted the attention of people at the market, who ran after the suspect and apprehended him.

He said the suspect crossed the highway and was about to board a vehicle when the mob caught him, adding that some vigilantes came to the scene and seized the suspect from them.

A vigilante member, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter that the suspect had been handed over to the police at Kwali division.

City & Crime also gathered that a similar incident happened last week when a suspected motorcycle thief was almost lynched after trying to steal a motorcycle at the market.

It was learnt that the suspect after destroying the motorcycle’s key starter and was about to move with it, the owner arrived and immediately raised an alarm.