BREAKING: Mob Beats Enugu Hairstylist To Death After Native Doctor Accuses Him Of Stealing Street Lights

The victim, an only son and a well-known hairstylist in the community, reportedly denied the accusations “vehemently” even as he was being assaulted by the group.

A group of nine youths have allegedly beaten a 31-year-old man, Izuchukwu Ugwu, popularly known as Obere, to death in Amaozara Obukpa community, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, over allegations of vandalising and stealing solar-powered street lights.

The victim, an only son and a well-known hairstylist in the community, reportedly denied the accusations “vehemently” even as he was being assaulted by the group.

According to community sources who spoke with SaharaReporters, the youths claimed the solar street lights installed in the community had been vandalised and stolen. In a bid to identify the culprit, they allegedly consulted a native doctor.

“The so-called native doctor allegedly pointed at Obere as the person responsible for the stealing of the street lights,” a community source said.

Following this, the suspects reportedly began searching for Obere without informing him of the allegations against him.

“They came back and started searching for Obere in the community without his knowledge,” the source said. “Later, they discovered that he was at Amaozara Bus Stop and decided to wait for him at the Amaozara Obukpa Nsukka village square, which is close to his house.”

However, Obere reportedly used a different route to return home, frustrating the group’s initial plan

“After waiting for a long time, they sent spies to his house,” the source added. “When they confirmed that he had returned home, they went there and called him out.”

The source said Obere responded immediately and innocently.

“As soon as he heard his name, he came out. He did not know what was going on,” the source said.

“Without asking any question or allowing him to defend himself, they pounced on him and started beating him,” the source said. “They were asking him to confess, but Obere kept telling them that he was innocent and that he did not steal any street light.”

The pleas of the victim reportedly fell on deaf ears.

“He kept pleading with them, saying he was innocent, but they refused to listen,” the source said. “They beat him continuously until he died.”

The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday, after which the suspects fled the community.

“They are nowhere to be found now. They all ran away after beating him to death,” the source said.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters shows the victim lying in a pool of blood with visible head injuries, his legs bound. In the footage, Obere is heard repeatedly denying the allegation, while a street light panel is placed on his body, apparently to portray that he was caught stealing.

“I am innocent of the accusations,” he said in the video. “I don’t know who is stealing the street lights. I am not the one.”

In the same video, the victim suggested that scavengers might be responsible for the theft.

Despite his claims of innocence, one of the assailants, believed to be the leader of the group, was heard threatening him.

“You will die today since you don’t want to say the truth,” the man said.

The victim’s parents, Mr. James Ajaka Ugwu and Mrs. Florence Ugwu, have condemned the killing and described their son as a peaceful man with no criminal history.

“He was our only son,” the family said. “He was a hairstylist in the community. He never stole anybody’s property, let alone the one belonging to the community.”

The family has appealed to security agencies and the Enugu State Government to ensure justice is served.

“We are begging the authorities to help us so that his killers will not go unpunished,” the family said.

SaharaReporters gathered that two of the suspects have since been arrested and are currently being detained at the Nsukka Area Command, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspects.

Meanwhile, attempts to reach the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, did not answer calls and had yet to respond to a text message seeking his comment at the time of filing this report.

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— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) January 23, 2026