Tension gripped the Mabushi area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Wednesday after an angry mob lynched and set three suspected touts, locally called agberos, ablaze over the deaths of a man, his wife, and their son.
According to eyewitness accounts, the tragic incident occurred on the Mabushi Bridge when the suspected touts, said to be linked to the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), allegedly attempted to extort money from the family.
In the process, they reportedly dragged the car steering from the driver, causing the vehicle to lose control and crash. The entire family died instantly.
A viral video from the scene shows the suspects lying on the ground before an unidentified person poured petrol on them and set them on fire, as enraged residents watched.
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One eyewitness, lamenting the incident, said:
“This is what Amac agberos have caused here in Abuja. They are causing a lot of harm. It’s high time we did something about it. Seriously. Both families died because of agbero. Imagine, they chased this man, entered his car, and dragged the steering from his hand. The man died, his wife died, and his son died. The FCT Minister needs to take action. Amac agberos must leave Abuja.”
The gruesome killings have reignited concerns about the activities of touts in Abuja, with many residents calling on the FCT Minister and security agencies to urgently intervene to curb the menace.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities are yet to officially comment on the incident.