Confirming the incident to journalists, the command’s spokesperson, Udeme Edet, said the victim was only released recently from the correctional centre in Makurdi, where he served a sentence for the same offence.

She said, “Immediately we received the report, the command promptly sent a team of officers there, but before they could get there, some people around had set him ablaze, and we later discovered that the victim was recently released from a correctional centre, he was said to have been jailed for a similar offence.”

An eyewitness who gave account on condition of anonymity revealed that two passengers had hired an ‘okada rider’ to take them to the railway quarters within  Makurdi unbeknownst to him that he had been set up.

The witness revealed that a gang member had stationed himself at the spot where the passengers decided to alight.

According to him, as soon as the two passengers alighted,  the other gang member approached the motorcyclist pretending to pay for the fare but rather brought out scissors and stabbed him several times.

While the rider fell on the floor shouting for help, the three members jumped on the motorcycle to zoom off.

He added: “Unfortunately, as they tried to zoom off, the last person on the motorcycle fell down and people pounced on him dragged him to the main road where they set fire on him.”

He further disclosed that the mon had beaten him before setting him ablaze. According to him, the Ex-Convict died enroute to the hospital.

The state police spokesperson condemned the jungle justice meted out to the suspect, as she stressed that the command would no longer tolerate such actions.