In a shocking turn of events on Monday, a woman identified as Edeth Kenny narrowly escaped being lynched by an angry mob in Owode Onirin after she was allegedly caught attempting to kidnap a school pupil.

The suspect, said to have been lurking around the market area, reportedly tried to abduct a child when vigilant residents intervened. According to eyewitnesses, Kenny was stripped and brutally beaten by the irate crowd, who claimed she had confessed to selling a previously abducted child in Ilorin.

The atmosphere in the community had already been tense, following a string of child disappearances in recent weeks. The most recent victim was a pupil from Wisdom School, who vanished just a few meters from the school premises. This latest incident involving Edeth Kenny only fueled the community’s rage.

As tempers flared, the crowd began to gather fuel and tyres in a bid to carry out jungle justice and set the suspect ablaze. It took the prompt intervention of the police to prevent a potential murder. However, in the course of rescuing Kenny, the mob turned their fury on the officers, reportedly smashing the patrol van’s windscreen in protest.

The situation escalated quickly, as angry residents, infuriated by the police’s intervention, marched towards the Owode Onirin Police Station and threatened to set it ablaze. When The Nation visited the scene, law enforcement had deployed heavy security including an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and several patrol units from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to control the situation.

RRS Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olatunji Disu, along with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Owode Onirin, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Alao Segun, were present at the scene to maintain order and prevent further unrest.

While the alleged confession of Edeth Kenny has intensified the community’s demand for justice, the police have called for calm and promised a thorough investigation into the case and the spate of recent kidnappings in the area.