Police call for caution as mob kills couple in Imo

Spokesperson, Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye

The Imo State Police Command has warned the public against taking the law into their hands in expressing their grievances following the death of a couple by mob action in Orogwe in the Owerri West Local Government Area of the state on Monday.

Speaking to PUNCH Metro, on Thursday, the Public Relations Officer of the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, said the course of justice would not be served if the public persisted in taking the law into their hands while urging them to allow the police to do their job of law enforcement..

“Allow the police to do their work. Any suspect should be handed over to the police for proper investigations. The police have deployed their team for investigations to apprehend the perpetrators.”

Our correspondent gathered on Thursday that some angry youths on Monday burnt to death a yet-to-be-identified couple in the Orogwe-Ohii area of Owerri-West LGA.

A community source who pleaded anonymity told PUNCH Metro that the couple usually operated around the community and neighbouring villages.

“The couple was caught on Monday while absconding with a stolen motorcycle after robbing a motorcyclist of his bike with a pistol.

“The couple was well known in the community but no one knew they were involved in motorcycle snatching until they were caught.”

He hinted that many people had lost their motorcycles along the road and people were already on alert waiting for the day “the criminals would be caught.”

“They were caught while trying to dispossess a man of his motorcycle along the Orogwe/Ohii Road. Because the youths and community vigilantes were already enraged by the ugly trend, they refused to hand them to the police.

“But what I don’t know is if the couple are from the community. It was terrible.”

Our correspondent gathered that many youths have deserted the area for fear of being arrested by the police during the investigation.

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