An 18-year-old boy, identified only as Great, has been hospitalised after being tortured by suspected thugs over allegations of underwear theft in the Abule Odan-Era area of Ojo, Lagos State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Monday, August 18.
Great’s aunt, Philomena, told FCNN that some men brought her nephew home with his face visibly swollen, claiming he had stolen a pair of boxers.
The men, who operate from a base in the community called New Era, insisted she follow them back to their hideout.
According to her, they demanded N30,000 for the stolen boxers and an additional N20,000 fine. After pleading, she was forced to pay a total of N50,000.
“Before I could raise the money, they said they wanted to perform a sacrifice on him and forced me to sign an undertaking to take him out of the community once released. After paying the money, they still tortured him while filming it,” she recounted.
A video obtained by FCNN showed Great blindfolded, with his hands and legs tied, as two men flogged him repeatedly.
Speaking over the phone, the teenager denied stealing the underwear. “I was passing through a shortcut when some men accused me of taking boxers from a clothesline. They slapped me, took me to my aunt’s house, and demanded money. Before my aunt arrived, they gave me a boxer to hold and started taking pictures of me,” he said.
Rights activist and Programme Officer at the Centre for Positive Health Organisation, Sunday Osofisan, confirmed that the perpetrators fled the area after the torture video went public.
“Reports show this is a common practice by the group. They are not indigenes but usually gather at their base every Sunday,” he said.
Nine suspects were later arrested on Friday and detained at Area K Police Command.
However, community leader Fatai Raheem alleged that some of them, including two identified by the victim, were released prematurely.
“I took the boy to the station, and he pointed out the two who tortured him. They were detained, but by Sunday, they had been released and even recorded themselves celebrating their freedom,” Raheem stated.
Raheem has since petitioned the police, condemning the act and distancing community leadership from the perpetrators, noting that residents had long raised complaints against the group.
Founder of Harmony Advocacy Network, Harmony Tachie, said Great had been relocated for safety after threats.
“This is clear jungle justice. Even if he stole, why didn’t they hand him over to the police? If he had died, they would have disappeared. The perpetrators must be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent,” Tachie insisted.
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Attempts to reach Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as calls to his line went unanswered, and a text message sent to him had yet to be returned at press time.
