Two women narrowly escaped being lynched in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, after an angry mob allegedly stripped them naked, assaulted them brutally, and attempted to carry out jungle justice over claims that had not been verified by authorities.
The incident reportedly occurred along Ring Road 3 in the Uyo metropolis at about 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday in Uyo by the Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John.
According to the statement, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, who was on his way to work when he witnessed the disturbing scene, alerted the police after noticing that one of the women had sustained serious injuries and was bleeding heavily.
The police spokesperson said operatives were immediately deployed to the area, where they dispersed the mob, rescued the victims, and rushed them to a hospital for treatment. She added that the women are currently responding positively to medical care.
John further disclosed that one suspect, identified as 22-year-old Emediong Robert from Ikot Ekwere in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, was arrested at the scene for allegedly inciting the crowd and calling for the victims to be executed.
The statement partly read, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has condemned in the strongest possible terms the barbaric, degrading, and unlawful mob attack carried out against two women in Uyo, describing the incident as a savage act of criminality, lawlessness, and a direct assault on human dignity and the rule of law.
“The ugly incident occurred on Tuesday, 19th May, 2026, at about 0945hrs along Ring Road 3, Uyo, where an irate mob stripped two women naked, brutally assaulted them, and attempted to subject them to unlawful execution over allegations yet to be verified by lawful authorities.
“The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, who witnessed the horrifying scene while on his way to office, immediately took courageous and patriotic steps to save the victims by alerting the Police after observing that one of the women had already sustained severe injuries and was bleeding profusely.
“Upon receipt of the distress call, operatives of the Command swiftly mobilized to the scene, dispersed the violent crowd, rescued the victims from imminent danger, and rushed them to a medical facility where they are currently receiving treatment and responding positively to medical care.
“Following immediate intelligence-driven action and preliminary investigation, one suspect identified as Emediong Robert, male, 22 years, of Ikot Ekwere, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, was arrested at the scene for actively inciting the mob and allegedly calling for the execution of the victims during the violent attack,” it said.
The PPRO warned that anyone involved in mob action, torture, public assault, or any form of extrajudicial punishment would face prosecution in line with Nigerian law.
She added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, had directed security operatives to track down every other person connected to the attack, stressing that all perpetrators and accomplices would be arrested and prosecuted.
“Akwa Ibom State will not be turned into a jungle where criminal mobs brutalize citizens at will,” CP Azare said. “No allegation against any individual justifies public humiliation, torture, assault, or attempted murder. Every suspect remains innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.”
John also commended Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John for his swift intervention, noting that his action helped save the victims from possible death.
