Police officer who shot 'Okadaman' to death murdered by mob in Enugu

isaac dachen

July 21, 2016 4:32 PM

A police officer who shot an 'Okadaman' to death in Enugu has been stoned to death as well by an angry mob.

The late Festus Onah

A police officer who shot and killed a commercial motorcyclist in Nsukka Local Government Council of Enugu State, was given instant judgement when an angry crowd mobilized and stoned him to death in retaliation, South-East Voice reports.

Also Read: "Accidental Discharge: Senior police officer kills 'Keke' operator in Lagos"

The killed officer identified as Corporal Robert Ugwanyi, had allegedly shot the 'Okadaman' identified as Festus Onah, shortly after he had come out from a restaurant, where he had gone to eat.

It was learnt that Onah's skull was blown open by the policemen’s bullet and his brains mixed with blood, splashed all over the ground, prompting a spontaneous attack on the policemen by passersby and other onlookers.

Before the incident, residents of the area had been grumbling over the activities of policemen and thugs attached to the state Ministry of Transport, who were said to be in the habit of extorting money from motorists who did not renew their 'MOT' particulars, between N10,000 and N30,000 from them.

The incident that led to the killing of Onah and Ugwanyi, according to eyewitnesses, occurred when policemen attached to the Taskforce set up by the Council, were trying to force traders to relocate from their shops in the Beach Area, to newly completed building materials market on the outskirts of the Nsukka metropolis.

However, the traders were not in the mood to move to the new market and a heated argument ensued between them and members of the Taskforce, with the traders insisting that they had no reason to move to the new site as they were not affected by the local government by-law.

As argument raged, other traders and passersby gathered to watch the development and in the heat of it, Ugwuanyi, reportedly fired a warning shot from his rifle and unfortunately, the bullet hit Onah who was just coming out of a restaurant in the area and he died on the spot.

Also Read: "Accidental Discharge: Policeman murders man while trying to seize his motorcycle"

The angry crowd immediately descended on Ugwanyi and stoned him to a point of death and before his colleagues could muster reinforcement from the nearby Nsukka Divisional Police Headquarters to rescue him, he was already dead.

isaac dachen