The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has rescued two suspected “one chance” robbers from being lynched by an angry mob in the Utako area of Abuja, warning residents against taking the law into their hands.
In a statement issued on Friday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said the intervention followed a distress call received by the Utako Police Division at about 11 a.m. on Thursday.
She said operatives who rushed to the scene found an irate crowd assaulting two male suspects, identified as Kefas Akaye and Uya Ugwowere, before they were successfully extracted to prevent loss of life.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police, revealed that the suspects were part of a four-man gang involved in “one chance” robbery operations across the Federal Capital Territory.
Adeh added that the gang members usually came into the FCT from Uke in Nasarawa State to carry out their criminal activities.
She disclosed that two other suspects, identified simply as Mary and Aisha, escaped during the commotion at the scene, noting that efforts were ongoing to track them down.
The police spokesperson condemned acts of mob violence, stressing that jungle justice endangers innocent lives and undermines investigations by destroying vital evidence.
She urged residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station rather than resorting to self-help, assuring the public of the command’s commitment to tackling crime through lawful means.