- Chief Imam reportedly attacked by angry mob in Kwara after death of a 25 year old man.
- Police confirm four arrests and begin full investigation into the killing.
- Commissioner of Police condemns mob justice, warns residents to stop taking laws into their hands.
- Kwara security tension rises as bandits also launch attacks in another local government.
An outrage in the Sokunkpan area of Tsaragi, Edu Local Government in Kwara State ended in tragedy when an angry mob lynched the Chief Imam of the community, Alhaji Abdullahi Audu.
The mob, said to have been led by two brothers, was reacting to the death of 25 year old Ibrahim Gana. The young man had reportedly been sick for a long time and later died while undergoing treatment in a hospital. However, emotions escalated when his brothers, Muhammad Shaaba and Mahmud Gana, concluded that the cleric was responsible for Ibrahim’s death.
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Witnesses said the brothers did not wait for any investigation. Instead, they allegedly gathered others and stormed the imam’s residence, attacking him until he died from the assault.
The Kwara State Police Command confirmed the killing in a statement issued by its spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi. According to the police, four suspects have already been arrested, and efforts are ongoing to track down others who participated in the mob attack.
Commissioner of Police, CP Adekunle Ojo, strongly condemned the act, describing it as “pure jungle justice and a criminal offence.” He reminded residents that no one has the right to take another person’s life or enforce personal revenge.
“We will prosecute everyone involved,” the Commissioner warned, urging community members to report suspicions to security agencies rather than taking matters into their own hands.
The police also appealed for calm, assuring residents that proper investigation will reveal the real cause of the young man’s death and the role, if any played by the late imam.
Meanwhile, security concerns in Kwara continue to grow. In another incident within the same week, armed gunmen killed a police orderly, Corporal Salisu Shamaki, and kidnapped three policemen in Agbonran under Ifelodun Local Government Area. The officer who was killed was reportedly assigned to a Chinese miner operating in the community.
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Residents say bandits have been attacking villages in Ifelodun frequently, killing locals, looting property and grabbing victims for ransom.
Following the rising attacks, the Nigerian Army’s Sobi Barracks in Ilorin has approved a forward operational base within the area. Also, state security forces, community leaders and local vigilantes are working together to restore peace.
The police say updates on both incidents will be made public as investigations continue.
