Two police officers were beaten to death in Ikpeshi, a town in the Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo state, on Saturday after their convoy collided with a motorbike, killing the rider and passengers.
On Sunday, it was reported that the officers were in a Hilux escorting a former Edo State House of Assembly member, Hon. Emmanuel Agbaje when the convoy collided with the motorcycle.
The irate youths were said to have stormed the Edo State Security Volunteer Network (vigilante) office where the policemen were taken for protective custody, overran the facility.
They beat two of them to death, while members of the vigilante group were able to rescue them the other two, who are said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
The officers‘ rifles were also recovered.
The enraged youths were alleged to have assaulted the vigilante office and destroyed its furnishings, threatening to deal with their members who attempted to rescue the officers.
According to a police source, the cops involved were from Police Mobile Force 19, based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The source said, “One Toyota Hilux van conveying four policemen, namely Inspector Brownson Brown, Inspector Abubakar Fakkuk, Sergeant Taiye Ojiefo, and Sergeant Elisha John, attached to Police Mobile Force 19 Port Harcourt on escort duty with Hon. Emmanuel Agbaje, a former Edo State House Assembly member, was involved in an accident with a motorcycle conveying a woman and child by the Ikpeshi community.
“In the process, the rider and passengers died on the spot, and in reaction, an angry mob attacked the policemen, beating Abubakar Fakku and Elisha John to death while two others were receiving treatment at Ifejola Hospital Igarra.”
Chidi Nwabuzor, the Edo State PPRO, acknowledged the event on Sunday but said more information would be released to the public later.
In response to the incident, Hon. Tajudeen Alade, chairman of Akoko-Edo local government area, criticized the youngsters’ evil behavior and praised the vigilantes’ attempts to spare the policemen’s lives.
He stated that those implicated would face punishment and offered to support the twin sister of one of the motorbike passengers.
