Kano Man Burnt Alive Over Alleged Motorcycle Theft

A young man identified as Ahmad Dankoli was reportedly lynched and burnt to death by an angry mob after he was accused of attempting to steal a motorcycle in Balare community, Ajingi Local Government Area of Kano State.

Naija News learnt that the incident occurred at about 9 p.m. on Sunday during the community’s weekly market, a period when traders and residents usually gather in large numbers.

The deceased was reportedly beaten by the mob before his body was set ablaze despite attempts by security operatives to intervene.

The councillor representing Balare Ward, Shu’aibu Abdulmumin Yalo, confirmed the incident, saying Dankoli was accused of attempting to steal a motorcycle belonging to a trader who had come to the market.

According to Yalo, the suspect tried to flee after he was confronted by residents, but was eventually apprehended by the angry crowd.

“The crowd accused him of attempting to steal a motorcycle. Although he tried to escape, they caught up with him and set him on fire,” the councillor said.

He disclosed that security personnel responded to the scene following reports of the attack but were unable to disperse the crowd.

“Security operatives came to intervene, but the number of people at the scene was too much for them to control,” Yalo added.

The councillor attributed the mob’s violent reaction to a series of motorcycle thefts that had plagued the weekly market in recent months.

According to him, residents had become increasingly frustrated by the recurring incidents, a development that may have contributed to Sunday’s jungle justice.

He, however, did not indicate whether any arrests had been made in connection with the killing.

Residents said the deceased was a well-known supporter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party’s Kwankwasiyya movement on social media.

His death has since sparked discussions on social media, with many condemning the resort to mob justice and calling for thorough investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The incident is the latest in a growing number of cases of jungle justice recorded across the country.

Less than two weeks ago, an angry mob in Maraban Jos, Kaduna State, allegedly burnt a woman, Ummulkhairi, to death after accusing her of attempting to steal a child.

Authorities later confirmed that the allegation against the woman was false, raising fresh concerns over the increasing trend of extrajudicial killings and mob violence in Nigeria.

The latest killing in Kano has again highlighted calls by security experts and human rights advocates for members of the public to hand over criminal suspects to law enforcement agencies instead of taking the law into their own hands.