Angry youths have set a church building on fire in Lagos after a labourer fell into a septic tank and died.
Accusing the church of using the victim for ritual, the arsonists alleged that the victim’s body had been mutilated after his recovery from the septic tank.
The youths also seized and killed a cow that was tied close to the church, sharing the meat among themselves.
It was gathered that the incident happened on Friday when the victim simply identified as Dogo was engaged for septic tank evacuation at a church in Badore, Ajah area of Lagos State.
A source within the church said: “The Hausa man had started doing his job when one of those residing in the premises of the church could no longer sight him. When the people around noticed his absence where he was working, they started to look for him. It was in the process of trying to locate his whereabouts that his body was discovered in the soakaway.
“The youths in the area alleged that the deceased was used for ritual purposes and other residents claimed that his body was mutilated. As a result, an angry mob stormed the church premises, destroyed some properties and set the building on fire.
“A cow that was tied close to the church was seized by the mob. They later killed the cow and shared the meat in the community.”
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident,. said: “Someone was engaged to evacuate the septic tank in the church. While he was doing the job, he fell into the septic tank. He was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. And some angry youths burnt the church. The body was not mutilated. The policemen were there and they took pictures and no part of his body was removed. No arrest has been made yet.”
