Tension gripped the Iyiowa Odekpe community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, after a lifeless burnt body, suspected to be victim of jungle justice was discovered in a dump site in the area.

It was learnt that the victim was suspected to have been burnt late on Tuesday, but the corpse was only discovered on Wednesday afternoon.

Some eyewitnesses and residents living near the scene said police operatives from Atani Divisional Police Headquarters recovered the burnt dead body thereafter and deposited it at the morgue.

When contacted, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the development, saying the lifeless body was recovered from the dump at about 12:30pm.

Ikenga said, ?Police operatives attached to the Atani Divisional Police Headquarters while on patrol today, May 7, 2025 by 12.30pm recovered a burnt dead body in a waste dump at Iyiowa Odekpe.

?The discovery is allegedly a suspected victim of jungle justice. Preliminary findings revealed that the deceased with the gang members specialises in stealing car batteries. It was alleged that the victim was caught and set ablaze in the early hours of today by an angry mob after their criminal operations in the area, while other gang members escaped the scene.

?Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has condemned the mob action by some members of the public who resort to jungle justice whenever they arrest suspects in respect of criminal allegations without recourse to the Police for proper investigation.?

He urged Ndi Anambra and residents alike to always exercise restraint by not taking the law into their hands.

?Residents should endeavour to take such suspects to the nearest police station whenever they are apprehended. This would afford the Police the opportunity to conduct an appropriate investigation into the nefarious activities of the suspect and possibly arrest other gang members and bring them to justice in accordance with extant laws,? he added. (The PUNCH)

Update news