A mechanic narrowly escaped a mob attack on Monday, August 12, 2024, after being caught attempting to steal vehicle parts at Jemi Alade Estate in the Isheri-Igando area of Lagos State.
The incident occurred around 9 am when a resident noticed the suspect leaning on a vehicle in the estate.
Suspicious of his behaviour, the resident confronted him and raised an alarm, leading to the suspect's apprehension by a group of angry residents.
Timothy Ajibade, a resident of the estate, reported that the suspect claimed to be a mechanic but failed to provide proof of his identity or purpose.
Ajibade recounted, "We saw him loitering around in the morning, and later found him holding tools near a vehicle. He said he was a mechanic working for someone in the estate, but he couldn't name who."
This prompted the residents to assault the suspect, causing him to bleed. They dragged him outside and continued to beat him.
Another resident, who chose to remain anonymous, explained the community's frustration over the recurring thefts in the area.
"We have been dealing with numerous cases of robbery and theft in our estate. Vehicles are often vandalised overnight, and valuables stolen by thieves on motorcycles. This is why we acted the way we did," the resident said.
Efforts by officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps to intervene were met with resistance, as the mob continued to assault the suspect and even stripped him naked.
Later, the leader of the local mechanic association, identified as Alhaji, was called to the scene to verify the suspect’s identity.
Alhaji confirmed that the suspect had once been an apprentice at a workshop in the area but had stopped attending long ago.
“I was shocked when they called me, saying a thief had been caught claiming to be a mechanic who knew me. When I arrived, I recognised him as one of the boys who had briefly been an apprentice," Alhaji explained.
The suspect was eventually handed over to the mechanic association, who took him away from the scene.