A 20-year-old man identified as Edafe Okoro has been beaten to death by a mob at Jakpa Junction, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State for allegedly stealing a mobile phone.
SaharaReporters gathered that Edafe was killed on Saturday, December 16, 2023.
One of his family members who spoke with SaharaReporters accused an aide to the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and one of his relations of being behind Edafe’s lynching for allegedly stealing a mobile phone and selling it for N8,000.
She further pleaded with the appropriate authorities to look into the case and ensure justice in the matter.
She said, "On Saturday by 5 pm, I went to visit my sister, on getting there I was told that my brother was being flogged. When I got to where my brother was being flogged, a boy named Leo told me that my brother (Edafe) and his friend Egbedu had stolen.
“I asked him (Leo) about the item they stole and he said iPhone X and added that they sold it for eight thousand naira.
"He also said after selling the phone for eight thousand naira, they used the SIM to withdraw money from the owner's account. I saw my brother and his friend Egbedu tied up and being flogged. I asked them to take my brother (Edafe) to the police station from there he would be taken to jail to serve his sentence because we didn't have any money to bail him.
“Leo then held my brother with the rope still tied around his body and said he was taking my brother to the police station. So I told him to go ahead and I left the scene and went back to the house. Later that evening around 7 pm, I received a call telling me that my brother instead of them to take him to the station like we initially agreed, he was being flogged again.
“But I didn't go to the said scene again. Later that evening at about 9 pm, my elder brother called me and told me that he saw my brother lying by the roadside and it was as if he was already dead.
“On getting there, I saw my brother with blood all over his body and most of his bones broken. I asked someone to go and call my dad. When my dad came, we removed the rope from him and used a tricycle to take him home since he was already dead at that time.
"I heard that the governor’s aide in that area was the one who tied his leg and orchestrated the beating and killing by himself together with his brother.”
"The appropriate authorities should please look into the case and give justice to my brother,” she added.
The spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the tragic death to SaharaReporters on Thursday, saying some suspects had been arrested.
"Yes, it's true that a mob killed a young man at that location, but it was not related to any government official. Arrest has been made and investigation has commenced," he added.