Phone theft: Mob kills two people in Kogi

Two people have been killed in a mob action over alleged phone theft in the suburb town of Felele in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

It was gathered that a businessman was caught up in the incident when one of the thieves snatched a mobile phone from the owner and sneaked into his shop for cover.

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An eyewitness told Daily Trust that the shop owner was mistaken for one of the thieves on the run and was killed immediately by the angry mob.

Our correspondent reports that the incident angered the sympathisers of the late shop owner who mobilised to avenge his killing.

The eyewitness said the businessman’s sympathisers identified one of his alleged killers and beat him to death and set the corpse ablaze while others who sustained different degrees of injuries were taken to the hospital for medical attention.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kogi Police Command, DSP Williams Aya, who confirmed the incident, said the command received a distress call from Felele at about 10 am on Monday.

He added that, on arrival at the scene, they discovered two dead bodies as products of a clash.

According to the police image maker, one Salisu Ado and Muhammad Mukaila all dead were alleged to have engaged in a fight over yet to be ascertained cause leading to their death.

He, however, stated that Mukaila was alleged to have stabbed Salisu Ado to death, prompting a reprisal attack by his relations and sympathisers who equally killed Mukaila and set his corpse ablaze.

The PPRO said that two suspects: Muhammed Mubarak and Suleiman Yakubu, all believed to be members of Aro Barger cult, have been arrested in connection with the dastardly killings.

He said that investigation into the matter had commenced as the state Commissioner of Police had ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department.