The family of a woman lynched by a mob at Ipata Market in Ilorin, Kwara State, has called for justice, insisting that she was not a kidnapper as alleged by her attackers.
The victim, identified as Khadijah, reportedly died at the General Hospital, Ilorin, on Thursday from injuries sustained during the mob attack.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, explained that the deceased was a destitute battling mental illness and not a kidnapper as speculated. She added that an investigation had already commenced into the killing.
Relatives of the deceased, however, expressed grief over the circumstances surrounding her death, lamenting that Khadijah had lived with a severe mental health condition for decades. Her sister, who spoke anonymously, said their late parents had struggled to care for her before their demise.
She said, “She was not a criminal, she was only sick. She battled brain illness for many years. Sometimes, she went out to beg for money to feed herself and her children before returning home. It is very painful that people mistook her condition for criminality and ended her life in such a cruel manner.”
The distraught sister further appealed to President Tinubu, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and security agencies to ensure those responsible for the mob killing are arrested and prosecuted.
She added, “Despite her condition, Khadijah had children who now remain without their mother. We, her family, tried all we could to support her. The mob action that took her life is barbaric and unjustifiable.”
