The Ogun State Police Command on Friday confirmed the mob killing of a motorcycle thief, John Udoh, in the early hours of Friday at Atoyo Okeigbo community, Aruba Sagamu, while his partner, Peter Ubong, was critically injured.
Udoh and Ubong, members of a five-man gang, reportedly invaded the community at about 2:am and attacked one Emeka Ruben stealing his motorcycle valued at N1.2m
The command spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement sent to journalists on Friday.
Odutola said that Ruben, however, alerted the youths of the community who arose to the challenge at midnight and arrested Udoh and Ubong.
The two suspects were said to have been beaten severely, leading to the death of one of the thieves as confirmed by a doctor at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, while the second suspect, Ubong, who was said to be in critical condition, has been hospitalised.
Three other members of the gang, Adaka, Stephen, and Jeresy, were said to have made away with the stolen motorcycle
The duo of Udoh and Ubong were also said to have confessed that they were part of a five-member group responsible for the theft of 15 solar streetlights previously stolen from the community, as well as two other motorcycles.
They equally provided the names of their accomplices involved in the crime in Ajaka, a part of the Sagamu division, and admitted to committing other burglaries in the Sagamu area.
Odutola said, “On October 18, 2024, at about 7:20hrs the CDA Chairman of the Atayo Okeigbo community, Aruba Sagamu, Ogun State, reported via phone that a group of thieves invaded the community around 2:00 AM. They broke into the home of one Emeka Ruben “ M”, stealing his Lifan rubber motorbike valued at 1.2 million naira (#1,200,000.00).
“Upon hearing his cries for help, at midnight, several youths intervened, by moving into the victim’s residence, apprehending one Peter Ubong, a 22-year-old from Cross River, and John Udoh, along with their operational motorcycle (registration number SGM 387 WB).
“Meanwhile, three others, named Adaka Stepen and Jerssy, managed to flee with the stolen motorcycle. The arrested duo confessed that they were part of a five-member group responsible for the theft of fifteen solar streetlights previously stolen from the community, as well as two other motorcycles.
“They provided the names of their accomplices involved in the crime in Ajaka, a part of the Sagamu division, and admitted to committing other burglaries in the Sagamu area.
“Both divisions are collaborating to ensure the apprehension of the named suspects. Unfortunately, the suspects were beaten severely by the mob, with one, John Udoh, being declared dead by doctors at OOUTH Sagamu, where his body was subsequently deposited in the hospital morgue.
“Peter Ubong is hospitalized, in a critical condition. Investigations are ongoing to track down the remaining suspects and recover the stolen motorcycle.”
