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It was on a very hot afternoon, the sun was almost roasting my skin out. It was almost 2pm, and I was already on my way back home after shopping some provisions from the market.
I stood by the roadside for over 20 minutes as I waited patiently for a bus.
While waiting, I sighted this young handsome man between the age of 25-30 years, very tall and good looking, he dressed more like a banker as he was on his white stocked shirt, plain black trouser, a well nodded red tie and above all his black shoes so neat and well Polished.
Omo this guy was so so cute, his smile alone got me crushing
“I guess he was waiting for a bus too, how I wish he is going to the same direction with me, cos I can't afford taking off my eyes from him” I mumbled.
He mingled himself with dirty and old looking agboros, “hope this boy's don't dirty my Mr handsome” I said as I was more concerned about his outfit and how good looking he was.
Soon enough, a long bus arrived and people started moving into the bus, but then I was walking gently to the bus, admiring the colour combination of his dress, all of a sudden I heard random voices Olé olé, thief, thief ooo, catch am, before I could turn back and look front, my Mr handsome was already on the floor, “yes oo he stole my money, and he wants to escape with it” a random woman from nowhere said accusing the young Man.
Before I could know what was happening, they had designed and rough handled his face with slaps, “please, what did I do?” the young man asked politely, “oga shut up, before I give you another one, you be thief” a random guy replied.
They furthered the beating to using woods, planks of different sizes to hit and inflict injuries on him.
I couldn't hold my tears , my eyes became swollen as result to my poor sight, couple with the current situation, I wiped, as he was been beating drastically and mercilessly.
“He could not possibly be a thief as it was speculated to be, judging by his appearance and look”, I said to myself
“Oga naso we go dey catch your kind for here, everyday na for dey thief but one day na for us, you get?, today you don enter” a random guy from the crowd said.
“Oh for your mind, we go respect this your attire, Omo this thing na disguise we sabi una” he added.
“Omo na old format ooo” another shouted from the crowd.
The beating continued, as the white turned to brown, having blood stains all over, his fine trouser was torn into pieces leaving him with his boxers alone, his belt was taken from him and used against his flesh.
“Today we go use you set example for this market ” one of the agboros said.
“But am innocent, I didn't steal the money, please, let me go back to my wife and child” he pleaded with tears in his eyes.
Watching him plead for a crime he didn't commit broke my heart and on hearing his wife and child, devastated me the more.
I wanted to intervene and stop them but I was so so scared, make them no beat me join am.
“Please tell him to return the money he stole, the woman who accused him, said lamenting, “Madam, how much in steal from you?” one of the agboros asked.
“Na five thousand naira, thief”, she retorted immediately.
They quickly searched him and discovered the same amount aforementioned, with other small changes like 100, 200 and 50 naira.
“Shebi, una don see am?, this man na pure criminal, thief suppose be your username” the woman shouted.
“No, I can explain, please wait let me explain” he pleaded as the beating increased to it climax on discovering the five thousand from his pocket, this time around the crowd became furious and angry as everyone joined hands, both the young and old was seen beating him without waiting to hear from his own side.
Please let me explain, arrrh, arrh, am innocent, I didn't steal her money, the young man pleaded as the was brutally messed up by angry mobs.
He continued pleading until his voice began fading off gradually, his clothes were torn out as he was left half naked.
“Chai see fine boy, just imagine you dress like banker still dey enter market dey steal ordinary 5k, na wetin fit you be this, rubbish” a random woman said watching from a distance.
“I get fuel oo, I also get tyre, if you leave am him go still steal again” she added as she instigated the idea of burning him alive.
I couldn't help him, but watch and pray for him from a distance, “even if he was guilty, at least he should be arrested and taken to the court for trial, not this way” I said as stood crying and watching a young handsome looking man, with bruises all over, looking dirty and exhausted.
To my left I saw stupid and heartless men who couldn't even afford 3 square meal daily contributing money to buy a 300 naira litre of fuel.
Minutes later, they returned with 2 Tyres and a rubber of fuel.
They Tyres were placed on his head and rolled down to his body, the fuel was used in bathing him as he screamed and shouted in great pain and agony, he struggled to get up but the pains couldn't let him. Minutes later he was set ablaze, he stood up with the fire to run but was strucked down with a wood, that alone weakened him, and he gave up, gradually his body began shrinking as everyone was seen leaving the scene one after the other.
The woman who accused the young man stood and watched him die slowly until there was no life in him anymore, as she turned to leave her son called “mummy, mummy” as he ran to were she was standing “mummy daddy say make I give you this 5000 naira, say na him carry am from ur bag.” the boy said loudly.
“Jesus ” people who heard the boy chorused in fear .
“So no be him collect your money, chai what an innocent man” someone echoed from the crowd.
At this point I knelt down in tears, shame and regret.
It was already 9:00pm that day, his wife was already worried as she poundered on why her husband was still out, leaving her and their 3 months old baby all alone in the house, the fright and sounds of danger began ringing in her mind as she quickly placed a call across to her elder sister to confirm if truly she saw him.
“Hello sister, did you say my husband came to your shop today?” she asked.
“Yes, and I gave him five thousand to give to you, is he not back yet?” the elder sister replied as she asked in anxiety.
“No sister he’s not back. where has he gone to?...., My husband is not like that, he had never returned this late before”, she replied.
“Okay, just relax, am very sure he will come back, probably he must have branched to see his friend, please don't think to much, be strong and take care of your baby” the elder sister replied.
“Okay sister, thank you very much, goodnight ”, she said as she ended the call.
Moral lesson
Don't be in a haste to judge no matter the condition you find yourself.
Jungle justice isn't the best option
It is better we stop it now and save both the innocent and guilty.