A middle-aged destitute mistaken for a kidnapper was on Thursday beaten to coma in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The incident was reported at the popular Ipata Market at about 9:00 a.m.

The timely intervention of the Police, however, saved the unconscious woman from being killed by the mob.

According to information available to The Guardian, the destitute had been seen wandering the community for a while, with the suspecting residents monitoring her every move.

It was when they could no longer understand her suspected movements that the mob, who were not convinced of her genuine insanity, confronted and started raining blows on her.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incident.

It said: “Information received that a woman, suspected to be destitute, was sighted wandering around the community; misinformed members of the public wrongly suspected her to be a kidnapper.

“In the ensuing circumstances, an irate mob descended on the woman, inflicting serious bodily harm.

“Upon swift mobilisation, Police patrol teams raced to the scene, rescued the victim, and rushed her to the General Hospital, Ilorin, for urgent medical attention.

“Regrettably, the attending doctor confirmed her dead as a result of injuries sustained. Her remains have been deposited at the hospital mortuary, while discreet investigation has commenced,” it said.

The Command, however, condemned what it described as an act of jungle justice, which not only undermines the rule of law but also poses grave danger to innocent lives.

It further cautioned that security challenges cannot be resolved through mob action, which rather worsens insecurity and erodes public safety.

The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, urged the public to remain calm, law-abiding, and to always report suspicious persons or movements to the nearest police formation.

He appealed to the residents to partner with the police in upholding law, order, and justice while rejecting all forms of mob violence.