Police in Anambra State have discovered the burnt remains of a human being at a refuse dump in Iyiowa Odekpe, located in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.
According to a press statement issued by the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the remains were discovered by police operatives on patrol on Wednesday.
He stated: “Police operatives attached to the Atani Divisional Police Headquarters, while on patrol today, 7 May 2025, at approximately 12:30 pm, recovered a burnt corpse at a waste dump in Iyiowa Odekpe.
“The deceased is suspected to have been a victim of jungle justice. Preliminary investigations suggest that he, along with others, was involved in the theft of car batteries. He was reportedly apprehended and set ablaze by an irate mob in the early hours of the day, while his accomplices fled the scene.”
SP Ikenga added that the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, has strongly condemned the extrajudicial killing.
The commissioner urged members of the public to desist from resorting to jungle justice when apprehending individuals suspected of criminal activity, and to instead report such incidents to the police for proper investigation.
“This will enable the police to carry out thorough investigations into the suspects’ alleged criminal activities, apprehend fleeing accomplices, and bring all offenders to justice in accordance with the law,” CP Orutugu stated.
