A woman accused of abducting a child was lynched and her body set on fire by an angry mob in the Maraban Jos area of Kaduna State after she was forcefully taken from police custody.
The incident was confirmed by the Kaduna State Police Command through its spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, who condemned the act and described it as a serious violation of the law.
According to Hassan, the Divisional Police Officer in Maraban Jos received an emergency report around 10:00 a.m. on Sunday that a woman was being attacked by residents over allegations of child theft. He noted that there was no evidence to support the accusation.
Police officers were immediately deployed to the scene, where they rescued the woman and moved her to the police station for protection and further investigation.
However, the situation later spiralled out of control when a large crowd reportedly converged on the station. The mob allegedly overpowered the officers on duty, seized the woman from custody, killed her and subsequently burnt her remains.
The police identified the deceased as an indigene of Maraban Jos and described the incident as a barbaric act of mob justice.
Several suspects have since been arrested in connection with the killing, while efforts are ongoing to track down and apprehend other participants.
Hassan said a full-scale investigation has been launched and assured that all individuals found responsible would face prosecution.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, strongly condemned the attack and warned that the command would not tolerate jungle justice, mob violence or assaults on police facilities and personnel.
The command urged members of the public to report criminal suspicions to security agencies and allow lawful authorities to investigate and prosecute offenders through due process.
Police authorities reiterated their commitment to safeguarding lives and property while ensuring justice is served in the case.