TEEN TORTURED OVER ALLEGED BOXER THEFT IN LAGOS, NINE ARRESTED

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

An 18-year-old boy identified simply as Great has been hospitalised after being tortured by suspected louts over allegations of stealing underwear in the Abule Odan-Era community, Ojo area of Lagos State.

The incident reportedly occurred on Monday, August 18, when the teenager was accused of stealing a pair of boxers from a clothesline. His aunt, Philomena, mentioned that some men brought him home with his face visibly swollen, insisting she follow them to their base, known as New Era.

According to her, the men demanded she pay N30,000 for the boxers and later imposed an additional N20,000 “fine.” She alleged that after collecting a total of N50,000, they still subjected her nephew to torture.

“Before I left to source the money, they threatened to perform a sacrifice on him and made me sign an undertaking to take him out of the community once he was released. After payment, they tied him up, blindfolded him, and flogged him while recording the act,” she said.

A video obtained by newsmen showed Great blindfolded with his hands and legs bound as two men whipped him. The teenager, however, denied stealing the underwear, claiming he was only passing through the area when he was accosted and forced to pose with a pair of boxers.

A rights activist, Sunday Osofisan, said the perpetrators had fled after the torture video leaked but noted that such incidents were common in the community. “According to residents, this has been their mode of operation for a long time,” he said.

Nine suspects were reportedly arrested on Friday and detained at the Area K Police Command. However, the community leader, Fatai Raheem, expressed disappointment that most of them were released.

“I took the boy to the station, and he identified two of the suspects who tortured him. They were detained, but I was shocked to learn they had been released by Sunday. The men even recorded a video celebrating their release,” Raheem said.

In a petition to the police, the community leadership condemned the assault and dissociated itself from the perpetrators, stressing that residents had previously complained about their activities.

The founder of Harmony Advocacy Network, Harmony Tachie, confirmed that Great had since been relocated for his safety following threats.

Attempts to reach the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to his phone were not answered as of press time.

Rights groups have condemned the incident as a clear case of jungle justice, insisting the perpetrators must be prosecuted.