A policeman and a resident of Odo-Eri community in Yagba West, Kogi State, were on Thursday killed when a mob of protesters clashed with police in the town.
The attack was in retaliation to the death of two residents who were felled by the slain police officer’s “accidentally discharged bullets” while trying to disperse the mob.
The protesters had stormed the divisional police headquarters in the town when news filtered in that Police had arrested two suspects alleged to have attacked banks in the town and adjourning Egbe community on Tuesday.
The Police Public Relations Officer PPRO for Police Command in the state, DSP William Aya, confirmed the incident to newsmen.
He said that the Inspector -General of Police , in response to the robbery incidents of Tuesday , December 14 directed that hills and thick forests surrounding the town be combed for suspects.
He said that two suspects were arrested on one of the hills with the aid of a police helicopter sent from Abuja.
Aya said that the suspects were whisked to the divisional police headquarters in the town and were being interrogated when a large mob of residents invaded the police station to demand instant justice for the suspects.
He said policemen stoutly resisted attempt to mete out jungle justice to the suspects and it was in the process, that a bullet accidentally discharged and killed a resident.
Aya said that the mob swooped on the policemen and killed one of them in retaliation.
According to him, investigation into the incident has commenced.
The mob also set the police divisional headquarters ablaze and vandalised vehicles and other property.
It would be recalled that Odo Eri, the headquarters of Yagba West was one of the two communities visited by a gang of armed robbers on Tuesday, December 14.
They robbed a branch of UBA Bank Plc in the community and killed two persons in the process and also went to the divisional police headquarters where they opened fire on policemen on duty.
The robbers on the same day attacked a branch of Access Bank, Egbe and killed one of the security men on duty and went away with undisclosed amount of money.
Source:Opr news.
