Two suspected armed robbers were on Wednesday morning killed by a mob in the Baruwa area of Ijeshatedo, Surulere, Lagos, after allegedly attempting to flee from residents who had earlier caught them.
Eyewitnesses said the event occurred around 5:15 a.m. when the suspects were intercepted during an unsuccessful robbery operation in the area.
According to residents, the mob initially restrained the suspects with the aim of handing them over to the police, but the scene turned chaotic when the men reportedly tried to escape.
“We only tied them up, but when they tried to run again, people became angry and attacked them,” one resident said.
The violent episode reportedly took place near a primary school, prompting outrage among locals who lamented the growing rate of mob justice and the sluggish response of security operatives.
“It was a terrible sight,” another resident, identified as Miss Oluwabunmi, said. “If the police were more responsive, people wouldn’t resort to jungle justice. No one deserves to be killed like that, especially in front of schoolchildren.”
Incidents of mob lynching have become increasingly common in various parts of Lagos, driven by rising crime rates and the public’s frustration over what they see as weak law enforcement.
Reports recall that in June 2025, a suspected motorcycle thief was set ablaze by a mob in Alakuko, while another similar episode happened in July along the Ogunlana Drive area of Surulere, not far from Baruwa.
Human rights groups, including the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), have repeatedly condemned such actions, calling on authorities to enhance community policing and ensure suspects face proper trial rather than mob execution.
Attempts to reach the spokesperson of the Cele Police Division were unsuccessful, as calls to the station went unanswered.
However, police sources confirmed that the victims’ remains have been taken to the Isolo General Hospital mortuary, while investigations into the matter continue.
