Abia State Commissioner of Police, Joshak Habila

The Divisional Crime Officer of the Ariaria Police Division, Aba, Abia State, identified simply as Mohammed, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, narrowly escaped lynching by an irate mob, who were protesting against the killing of a trader.

The incident which occurred on Friday reportedly caused disrupted business activities in the market and its environs.

It was gathered that some security operatives had raided the area, creating pandemonium which led to the death of the trader.

It was said the police were behind the raid, which made the crowd storm the Ariaria division, as they protested against the killing.

But the Abia State Police Command although one person was shot, the police were not responsible.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Udeviotu Onyeke, said the men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency raided an area, which was suspected to be a haven for hard drug sellers and buyers.

Onyeke said the operatives of the NDLEA were resisted and they later reinforced and stormed the area again, resulting into clashes during which the victim was shot.

The PRO said the mob took the corpse of the victim in a wheel barrow to the Ariaria Police Station to vent their anger on the police.

He said, “Efforts made by the DCO to explain that the police did not raid the market proved abortive as he was beaten into pulp by the mob. The protesters descended on him, gave him a deep machete cut in the head and he became unconscious.

“They snatched the DCO’s riffle and phones and was about to set the police station ablaze when they were repelled by policemen from the Aba Area Command.”

The police spokesman said the DCO was later revived at a hospital in the area.

He added that the irate mob later attacked a police post in the Urata area of the commercial city where they burnt two vehicles.

Onyeke said that no arrests had been made, but added that police had commenced investigation into the matter.

He appealed to Aba residents to reject any incitement against security agents, adding that those found culpable would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

However, the outlawed Radio Biafra monitored in Aba gave a different version of the scenario, broadcasting that “three innocent Biafran activists” were shot by Nigerian soldiers.

The anchor person called on the international community to carry out investigations into the alleged killings, threatening that if nothing was done, the group might go on reprisals.

-Punch