A scavenger identified as Nasiru Yahuza was reportedly manhandled by an angry mob in the Kango community, located within the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for allegedly stealing two pieces of a zinc sheet.
According to a resident of Kango, Shuaibu Hussaini, the incident occurred on Saturday, around 5:48 pm, when the suspect was accused of stealing two zinc pieces from a building in the area.
Hussaini explained that the suspect, who was moving around with a cart, was apprehended by a vigilant neighbour after he entered an ongoing construction site and quietly removed two pieces of zinc that had been used to fence the property.
“The scavenger was pushing his cart when he quietly entered the building that was fenced with the zinc and removed two pieces from it, without knowing there was a neighbour who saw him,” he stated.
The witness said the neighbour immediately raised an alarm, which quickly attracted the attention of other residents in the area. The ensuing mob pursued the suspect and proceeded to assault him physically.
Hussaini noted that it took the timely intervention of local vigilantes, who were alerted and rushed to the scene, to rescue the scavenger from the mob’s attack. The vigilantes then took him into their custody and subsequently handed him over to the police in the area.
A member of the vigilante group, Markus Bala, confirmed the incident, stating that the scavenger had indeed been handed over to the police for proper investigation and legal action.
Bala also decried the increasing activities of some scavengers in the community, noting that residents constantly lodge complaints about the theft of their property, including cooking pots, iron rods, and water drums, which are allegedly stolen by individuals posing as scavengers.
“In fact, there is no day that passes without a report at the vigilante office that some scavengers have stolen one item or another from houses,” he lamented.
A police source in the area also confirmed the incident, adding that the suspect would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.
