Nasarawa: Mob kills suspect, sets body ablaze over teenager’s death in Keffi
Mob Lynching in Keffi Leaves One Dead After Teen’s Murder
Keffi, Nasarawa State — A man was killed following accusations of his involvement in the murder of a teenage boy, whose body was discovered in a pit on Saturday. The deceased, identified as Isma’ila Zaria, was allegedly lynched by a crowd before security personnel could intervene.
Zaria, a former guard at the Keffi Emirate Palace, was reported to have been taken into custody by a local vigilante group prior to the attack. Sources indicate that tensions escalated when the crowd overpowered the vigilante members and vandalized their office.
When police officers responded to a distress call, they encountered resistance from the mob, resulting in injuries to several officers and damage to police vehicles. The teenager has been identified as Aliyu Muhammadu Lawal. His father, Muhammadu Lawal, confirmed prior conflicts with Zaria over noise disturbances but refrained from linking these disputes directly to his son’s death.
“I had been in conflict with this person because he was disturbing us with loud sounds at night. I cannot say if our past disagreement is connected to what happened to my son. I leave that to God,” he stated.
The condition of Aliyu’s body, described by his father, included signs of severe trauma. A traditional title holder in Keffi, Yahaya Ladan Shafale, condemned the incident, emphasizing that Zaria was no longer associated with the palace.
“This incident, which we have never witnessed in our community, is deeply concerning. Keffi is a historic town, and we pray such violence will not happen again,” Shafale remarked.
Police Public Relations Officer for the Nasarawa State Command, Superintendent Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the events. Around 12:30 p.m., the vigilante commander, Dogara Garba, alerted authorities about Zaria’s arrest. Nansel stated that by the time police arrived, Zaria had already been killed and set ablaze.
“The mob attacked the police, injuring some officers and damaging several vehicles. The police were able to restore order and transported the burned body to a hospital,” Nansel added.
The Divisional Police Officer subsequently ensured calm in the area and has opened an investigation into both the teen’s murder and the mob actions.
