By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Tension heightened in Agbarho community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, on Wednesday when an angry mob lynched a woman accused of attempting to abduct a seven-year-old boy.
The suspect, said to have come from Ughelli town, was caught with the child before residents descended on her. Attempts to calm the crowd and hand her over to security operatives reportedly failed, as the mob overpowered voices of restraint and set her ablaze.
The killing comes on the heels of growing anxiety in Ughelli and surrounding communities over alleged child kidnappings. Only a few days ago, parents and youths marched in protest, warning of rising abductions and demanding urgent government intervention.
“We raised the alarm last week because our children are being targeted. Now, this woman was caught, and people lost patience,” a community member said.
Residents expressed mixed feelings over the lynching some described it as “jungle justice” that could have been avoided, while others argued it was a desperate reaction to repeated fears and the absence of timely security intervention.
Parents in Agbarho have since kept their children indoors, with schools and businesses reporting lower turnout amid the heightened fear.
As at the time of filing this report, security operatives had yet to issue an official statement. Calls to the state police command’s spokesperson went Unsuccessful.
Community leaders have appealed for calm, urging residents not to take the law into their hands, while stressing that the safety of children must remain a priority.