A 60-year-old man, suspected to be a ritualist, has been apprehended for allegedly stealing female pants, bra as well as already used sanitary pads in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The suspect, whose real name has not been identified as at press time, was caught by some commercial motorcyclists commonly referred to as”okada riders” at Danjuma area along Isikan road of the state capital following his suspicious movement within the neighborhood.

After being caught, he was handed over to the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, by residents of the area who had earlier beat him blue and black.

While giving a vivid account of the incident which threw the neighbourhood into pandemonium, one of the residents who gave her name as Adeola Oluwasegun, said the suspect was initially mistaken for a lunatic before he was exposed by “okada riders” who she guess have been trailing him from a distance.

She narrated that, “We first saw the old man roaming the streets like a mentally unstable man while holding a small bag and we were thinking he was begging for food or money.

“Later, we noticed some Okada men shouting thief from afar and we did not know they were after the old man who they called ritualists.

“By the time, they would dragged the bag from him, he was caught with dirty female underwares lilke bra, pants, cloth and sanitary pads.

“Many residents were angry and they gave him the serious beating of his life. In fact, they nearly lyched him to death before he was whiskey away by some elderly people.”

It was gathered that no less than twelve female soaked sanitary pads and undies were found in possession of the suspect.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer, Ondo State Command of the NSCDC, Oladipo Samuel, disclosed that the suspect is already in the corps’ custody, adding that investigation has commenced.

“Truely, he was handed over to our men yesterday and he is helping our team of investigators in the office with very useful information.

“We would get back to you after our investigation and probably before we hand him over to the police for proper prosecution over the case,” the NSCDC PRO said.