A 22-year-old boy was on Sunday evening set ablaze by an angry mob for allegedly stealing an Android mobile phone at Atimbo area of Calabar Municipality Local Government Area (LGA) of Cross River.

A witness who narrated the incident, said the boy identified as Eyo, has been known for petty stealing around the area and have been warned severally to desist from such.

The witness, who pleaded anonymity, said that the boy committed the offence on Saturday and disappeared into thin air only to reappear on Sunday.

“I have known Eyo from secondary school, he has always been stealing, there was a time he stole half of the class school fees.

“Even as we grew into our 20s, Eyo became audacious in stealing and more notorious, he was always caught stealing, this is not the first time a mob action was carried out on him, he only met his end today.

“They started by beating him with cutlass before setting him ablaze. Funny enough, it’s just for stealing an android phone,” he explained.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the police in the State, SP Irene Ugbo, has confirmed the incident and decried the act.

While noting that it was unlawful for people to take laws into their own hands, she said the rightful thing to do was to have reported the suspect to the nearest police station in the area.

“Killing him in the most gruesome manner through mob action is not only barbaric, it is illegal and unacceptable,” she stated.

(NAN)