Policemen attached to the Ketu Division on Thursday rescued a member of a robbery gang from being lynched by robbery victims in the Mile 12 area of Lagos State.
It was learnt that the suspect and some others at large stormed Adeyeye Street around 2.30am and went from house to house dispossessing residents of their valuables.
“The robbers were able to rob at least five people in the area. They threatened to kill anybody who refused to cooperate with them,” an eyewitness said.
It was also learnt that on getting to one of the houses, the robbers turned the place upside down and told the victims to lie face down.
One of the victims was said to have summed up courage and snatched a pump action rifle from one of the suspect.
Policemen on patrol were said to have arrived the scene at the time. On seeing the police, the remaining suspects immediately fled.
The victims, however, beat up the suspect to a pulp and would have lynched him if not for the intervention of the policemen led by Inspector Kachi Maduebo.
The policemen were said to have taken the suspect to the Critical Rescue Centre, Tollgate, where he was given a first aid treatment.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the suspect had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja.
Braide said efforts were on to apprehend other members of the gang.