Mob lynch policeman, set vehicles ablaze over death of 3 in Onitsha

A police officer was reportedly lynched by an angry mob yesterday over the sudden death of a woman and two children along Owerri road, Onitsha in Anambra state. The irate youths, were also said to have set ablaze four vehicles and destroyed part of Bontus group, a factory situated along the road. Daily Trust gathered […]

A police officer was reportedly lynched by an angry mob yesterday over the sudden death of a woman and two children along Owerri road, Onitsha in Anambra state.

The irate youths, were also said to have set ablaze four vehicles and destroyed part of Bontus group, a factory situated along the road.

Daily Trust gathered that the mob, in their hundreds, had attacked a police check-point manned by the visiting police mobile unit attached to 3PMF Enugu, where the deceased, Sgt. Uchenna Ezike, was posted to.

An eyewitness, who put the time of the incident at about 3.30p.m, said the deceased and his colleagues, had attempted to flag down an articulated Mercedes Benz lorry with registration ANA 859 GDD, when the driver suddenly lost control and veered off the road.

"The tipper driver, in attempt to escape from the policemen, rammed into the woman and two children who were standing by the roadside to board a vehicle to their destination.

"As soon as the police officers saw what happened, they made effort to disappear from the scene but were attacked by the mob,” the witness said.

Daily Trust further learnt that the mob succeeded in beating up two of them, killing the deceased on the spot and took away his AK 47 rifle.

Confirming the incident, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Garba Baba Umar, said thirteen suspects, including the person in whose custody the deceased rifle was recovered have been arrested.

He said the corpses of the deceased, including that of the police officer have been deposited at the mortuary for post-mortem examination after they were certified dead in Toronto Hospital.

The Police commissioner however assured that normalcy has since been restored in the area, adding that a full scale investigation is ongoing to ascertain the remote cause of the incident.

"Members of the public are strongly warned to refrain from taking laws into their hands as the command will deal decisively with any individual or groups found wanting in accordance with the law" he added.