Pandemonium erupted in Otor-Owhe, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State on Wednesday, as an enraged mob set a man ablaze for allegedly beheading a widow in the community.
The suspect, identified as Oghenero (37), was accused of killing a woman popularly known as Oshomirara on her farm before fleeing with her severed head.
Eyewitness accounts recount that Oghenero was spotted returning from the bush carrying a polythene bag dripping with blood, but no immediate suspicions were raised.
However, moments later, the headless body of the victim was discovered in her farm, prompting those who had earlier seen Oghenero to raise an alarm.
Local vigilantes and youths swiftly mobilized and stormed Oghenero’s residence, where they reportedly found the woman’s head.
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He was apprehended, shot on both legs while attempting to escape, and subsequently set ablaze by the irate crowd.
The motive behind the gruesome killing remains unclear, though many suspect it was for ritual purposes.
Confirming the incident, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Edafe Bright, stated that the suspect had already been lynched by the time police arrived at the scene.
“The suspect murdered the woman in the bush, severed her head, and took it to his house.
“When the headless body was discovered, members of the community traced him to his residence, found the victim’s head, and proceeded to set him ablaze,” Edafe explained.
