A 12-year-old boy has been set on fire by suspected mobile phone thieves in a bid to prevent him from exposing and testifying against them. The incident happened on Saturday (January 20) in Ogugu, Olamaboro Local Government Area of the Kogi State.

It was gathered that the young boy, whose name was simply given as Ojonugwa, knew the thieves and because they were afraid that he might testify against them, they ordered him to lie on the floor and close his eyes, before setting him ablaze.

According to the source, Ojonugwa got up and threw himself into a drum of water as soon as the thieves sped off on their motorcycles.

The boy was rushed to the hospital for medical care.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Chief Edward Onoja, has visited the boy in the hospital.

Onoja, who is from the same local government area with boy, promised that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to book.

He commended the boy for being brave enough to have jumped into a drum of water.

He assured Kogi indigenes that the effort put in place by government to curb criminality in the state will not be in vane, stressing that the hospital bill of the boy would be paid

Efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. William Ayah, as of the time of this report proved abortive.

•Adapted from a Nigerian Pilot report.