By Grace Udoh
Two Men suspected to be armed Robbers that specializes in robbing operators of Point of sales (POS) were set ablaze by the youths of Ikot Oku Ikono, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,
An eyewitness identified as Nyenime Effiong told journalists who visited the scene, disclosed that the two robbers using motorcycle tried to overpower a POS attendant dispensing cash to customers near the newly commissioned fly-over bridge.
According to the eyewitness account “They thought their operation would be successful,but it turned out to be the end of the road for them. They arrived with motorcycle and the one in the passenger seat alighted and suddenly apprehended the POS attendant with a gun and demanded for money. She immediately screamed after she had released her purse. But luck ran out of the theives as their motorcycle refused to start. Some commercial mini-bus drivers and other youths trooped to the scene,chase the theives, caught them and set them ablaze before the arrival of the police.”
This is said to be their modus operandi. According to some vigilant youths, “they are also in the habits of targeting pump attendants at filling stations and supermarkets in the metropolis”.
However, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Amiengheme Andrew through the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Odiko Macdon, had warned residents not to take laws into their hands by administering jungle justice on criminal suspects, reiterating that people should hand over suspects to relevant security agency.
“Jungle justice has no place in law”, he said, advising that “civilians have power to arrest suspects, but must hand them over to the Police for diligent investigation and prosecution.”
