Tension gripped parts of Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Monday after an innocent medical practitioner became the target of a violent mob fueled by misinformation and hasty judgment.
The chaos erupted around 2:30 PM near the 2nd Powerline Area in Ologuneru, along the Eleyele-Ido Road.
An enraged crowd attacked a man they wrongly suspected of kidnapping two young girls, nearly setting him ablaze before security forces intervened.
The victim, Dr Afolabi, a medical doctor residing and practising in the United States, suffered serious injuries but is now stable and receiving treatment at a police medical facility.
His Lexus RX 330 SUV was destroyed by fire during the frenzy.
According to investigators, the two minors, 15-year-old Deborah and 12-year-old Rebecca, were not victims of abduction.
They had been legitimately placed in the doctor’s care by Mrs Idowu Abimbola, a 56-year-old woman from the Eleyele community, to help with domestic duties at the doctor’s mother’s home.
Both the girls and Mrs Abimbola fully corroborated the arrangement during questioning, confirming no foul play occurred.
The unfortunate misunderstanding started at a security checkpoint near the Polytechnic gate.
Bystanders grew alarmed upon seeing the partially undressed girls inside the vehicle.
Dr Afolabi’s difficulty explaining the situation, combined with the girls’ limited ability to communicate in the local dialect or clear English, rapidly escalated suspicions.
What began as questions quickly spiralled into a dangerous pursuit.
Irate youths chased down the vehicle, ignored attempts to clarify the matter, and unleashed severe violence on the doctor.
A senior police officer at the scene remarked, “The mob acted without verification, putting an innocent man’s life at risk and destroying valuable property in the process.”
Oyo State Police Command has since obtained statements from several eyewitnesses, including a motorcyclist injured amid the disorder.
Authorities are actively working to identify and prosecute all those who participated in the mob action.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, expressed deep concern over the rising trend of jungle justice and unverified social media claims.
He cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands, stressing that such behaviour threatens the state’s hard-earned security improvements.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of instant accusations and mob mentality in an era of rapid information sharing.
Police urge the public to report suspicions through proper channels rather than resorting to violence.