Mother of lynched man in Ondo denies son was Yahoo boy, says he was an Uber driver

The family of Tope Olorunfemi, a 35-year-old man who was lynched in Akure, Ondo State, has denied that he was a Yahoo boy. The deceased’s mother, Mrs Mojisola Olorunfemi, said her son was a Uber driver and not an internet fraudster.

Mrs Olorunfemi explained that her son’s car had an issue and had collided with a commercial motorcyclist. However, he was mobbed to death by an angry mob in her presence. She added that she watched helplessly as her son was lynched to death.

Tope had moved to Lagos after completing his education, where he registered as an Uber driver to make ends meet. His father later bought a vehicle for him about three years ago for the Uber driving business.

Tope had been in Akure with his wife and child for the Easter celebration. Mrs Olorunfemi noticed that her son had become lean and asked them to stay back for a week before returning to Lagos when they said the stress in Lagos was too much for him.

They had parked their belongings in the car, including his wife and child, and left them in the car since they had agreed to stay behind. The clothes in his car belonged to his wife and child, and he was not a ritualist or Yahoo boy.

The mother of the deceased stated that all claims that fetish objects were found in Tope’s car were false. The piggy bank found in his car belonged to his wife and was not a small coffin or casket as claimed by the mob.

Mrs Olorunfemi pleaded with the Ondo State government to ensure that those behind the lynching are brought to book. She added that those who kill by the sword would surely die by the sword too, and those who killed Tope should be made to face justice.

Tope’s wife, Mosunmola Bosede Olorunfemi, also called on the Ondo State government and the police to investigate the death of her husband. She said that her husband was not a Yahoo boy and that the government should do something about the killing of youths in the country.