Kaduna Enatimi, a 35-year-old indigene of Akassa community, was arrested for allegedly stealing a pot of soup, 12 wraps of fufu and half basin of Garri.
He was caught by the local security team at 2am where he hid in a corner consuming the stolen food at a local shop in the area.
The head of the vigilance group, Chief Money Sweet Asomo, said that when interrogated, the suspect blamed the economic challenges in the country for the act.
Narrating how the man was caught, he said:
“We were on patrol at about 2am on Thursday and when we got to the Timida School area, we saw a man at a local food joint eating.
“The food kiosk is owned by an Akwa Ibom indigene known as Mrs. Blessing. We questioned the culprit and he confessed to have stolen a pot of soup, some wraps of Fufu and half basin of Garri. He claimed it was the economic hardship in the state that led him to the act.”
The matter was reported to the Paramount Ruler of the Area, the Obenibe X1 of Epie Kingdom,who condemned the act and ordered the suspect to be paraded before the entire community in order to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to tow the same line
But the traditional ruler, who considered the excuse of hunger as weak, ordered the vigilantes to release him after the parade.
While the suspect pleaded for leniency, stating hunger as his excuse for the theft, the monarch ordered his release after the shameful parade.
He was thereafter forced to eat the stolen food in the presence of the indigenes of Igbogene land, but was still allowed to go home with the items.