Authorities detain six individuals after violent crowd kills two people amid unfounded abduction claim in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Police Command has apprehended six individuals in connection with the brutal lynching of two travelers, Muhammadu Sani, 45, and Aliyu Mohammed, 40, who were mistakenly identified as kidnappers in Gidan Kalu Village, Birnin Yero, Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna State.

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The victims, both hailing from Umar Village in the same local government area, were en route to Tudun Wada, Zaria, on a motorcycle to visit their ailing uncle on July 1 when the incident occurred, sparking a tragic sequence of events.

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According to the police, the pair's new motorcycle aroused suspicion among local residents, who raised the alarm by shouting "thieves," prompting the victims to abandon their vehicle and flee in fear.

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Despite their attempts to explain that they were not thieves, and although some members of the mob were acquainted with them, the victims were chased, attacked, and beaten to death, as stated in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan.

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The statement revealed that the victims' pleas of innocence fell on deaf ears, as they were pursued by an angry mob, brutally attacked, and lynched to death while trying to escape.

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Operatives from the Birnin Yero Division responded to the report and arrested six suspects, including Abdullahi Mukailu Kigo, who have since confessed to participating in the attack and are currently in police custody.

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Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other individuals involved in the killing, according to the police command, which has vowed to bring all perpetrators to justice.

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The Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, has condemned the mob action, describing it as unlawful and unacceptable, and warned that all those involved would be arrested and prosecuted, regardless of their status.

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Muhammad emphasized that every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court, and cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands, urging them to report suspected criminals to the nearest police station instead.

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The incident is the latest in a series of mob attacks in Kaduna State, fueled by false accusations and public suspicion amid rising insecurity, and has raised concerns over the persistence of jungle justice despite repeated warnings by security agencies.

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Only weeks ago, a woman, Ummulkhairi Usman Aliyu, was beaten to death by a mob at Maraban Jos after being wrongly accused of involvement in kidnapping, an incident that sparked widespread outrage and prompted Governor Uba Sani to visit the bereaved family and pledge support.

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The police have reiterated that allegations of criminality should be reported to security agencies for proper investigation and prosecution, rather than being handled by angry mobs, a message that has been consistently echoed by rights groups and legal experts.