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Teenage burglar escapes lynching in Akwa Ibom

The police in Akwa Ibom State yesterday prevented irate youths from lynching an 18-year-old burglar who broke into a boutique shop in Eket local government area of the state. Eyewitnesses told newsmen the suspect gained entrance into the shop located at 18, Uqua road, by breaking through the ceiling. The burglar, an indigene of Ikot…

[FILE] Uyo, Akwa Ibom. Photo/Akwa Ibom

The police in Akwa Ibom State yesterday prevented irate youths from lynching an 18-year-old burglar who broke into a boutique shop in Eket local government area of the state. Eyewitnesses told newsmen the suspect gained entrance into the shop located at 18, Uqua road, by breaking through the ceiling.

The burglar, an indigene of Ikot Ekpene local government area, was found inside the shop in the early hours of yesterday when the shop-owner opened the shop for the day’s business.

An eyewitness, Mr. Solomon Akpan, said: “The suspect was caught right inside the shop after he picked and arranged all clothes he stole but could not escape through the ceiling which he used in gaining access to the boutique at night. The owner of the shop simply known as Affiong arrived in the morning and saw him on the floor with the looted wares as he could not escape.”

When contacted, Affiong said she was afraid when she opened her shop and saw someone sitting on the floor with heaps of clothes carefully arranged beside him. “I was afraid to see someone inside my locked shop. I immediately raised the alarm and neighbours caught him.”
A
fter giving the suspected burglar a thorough beating, he was marched to the youth president of Ekpene Ukpa village, Mr. Ime, for interrogation. Some angry youths intercepted him at Ekpene Ukpa and inflicted more blows on him.

Chanting war songs, the mob rushed to bring petrol to burn the suspect alive. The youth president, who could not control the mob, immediately called the police in Eket Division to rescue the victim from the mob.

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