Again: Irate Mob Kill Undergraduate, Friend In Badagry

Less than a year after the gruesome mob killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, which was caught on video, shook the nation to the marrows, a similar incident happened on Sunday in the Badagry area of Lagos State, involving yet another university undergraduate and also caught on video camera.

Ifechukwude Nwainokpor, a 25-year old final-year student of Geology and Mining of the Delta State University, Abraka and his friend simply identified as Kazeem were lynched by an irate mob in Ajara area of Badagry, a community not far from the Nwainokpor’s family home.

In the eight-minute video clip which was seen by this correspondent, the two victims were handcuffed together and covered in their own blood after being beaten to death with sticks. Tyres were also put round their necks.

An irate mob could be seen in the video, shouting, “die, die, burn them, burn them.”

At some points in the video, a policeman was seen interviewing the boys. He asked who sent them (victims) to rob the area, an accusation they denied. One of the hoodlums, holding a sharp object attempted to cut off the private part of one of the victims.

Nwainokpor could be seen pleading with the hoodlums and policemen to spare his life, saying he could identify himself if given a chance. His plea, however, fell on deaf ears.

Our correspondent, who visited the family of Nwainokpor  on Tuesday, learnt that the lynching took place around 3pm on July 21, 2013 in Ajara area of Badagry, a community not far from Nwainokpor’s family home.

His father, Samuel, told this correspondent that his son was arrested while passing through a street in the area  but a misunderstanding later ensued and the hoodlums pounced on  him  and Kazeem.

He said, “On that particular day, I was in Ghana when I received a telephone call that I should come immediately. My wife was in Delta State taking care of her   mother.

“When I arrived two days later, my relatives and the caretaker of my house told me that my son was killed in the Ajara area along with his friend. I was devastated.

“I got my son a temporary job with a Customs licensed agent since their lecturers were on strike.  He worked every day except on Sundays when he visited his friends. On that day, he went to see Kazeem and they were strolling around Ajara.”

Samuel said because there had been a robbery in Ajara four days earlier, some of the residents was on the lookout for strange faces.

He added that when the youth saw two unknown young men, they  accosted them and an argument ensued.

He said the youth called the head of the vigilante group   in the area, one Asiribo.

He said, “Asiribo came to the scene with a locally-made pistol and handcuffs. He handcuffed my son and his friend  before asking them questions.

“Later, it was decided that the boys be taken to the Baale, Agano Oniyon of Agamade Ajara. But as they were going, Asiribo, while trying to return his gun into its  pouch, mistakenly shot himself in the stomach and died.”

Samuel said Asiribo’s death infuriated the youth, who  blamed the boys for  his  death.

“The mob picked up sticks  and beat them to death. Policemen were there,”   he  said.

The retired immigration officer who was on the verge of tears added that the police treated the matter as a robbery case, while he declared that there was no way his son would have been involved in armed robbery.

-The herald