Matilda Omonaiye/
The Imo State Police Command yesterday said angry villagers have beaten to death a suspected leader of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), an affiliate of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), while enforcing the the group’s weekly sit-at-home.
The victim was identified as Obinwanne Iwu, 34-year-old, from Ahiara in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, where the incident took place.
Commissioner of Police, Hussani Rabiu told newsmen in Owerri, that the villagers were infuriated because Iwu and the members of his gang were forcing them to close their shops and obey the sit-at-home order issued by (IPOB).
“On 20/09/2021 at about 07:45hrs, while residents of Umuagbavo Oru Ahiara in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, came out of their houses for their daily business activities. Shops were opened and people were going about their lawful businesses.
“When one Obinwanne Iwu ‘m’ age 34 years, a native Ahiara in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State, an escapee of Imo Correctional Centre Owerri and a member of the proscribed IPOB/ESN terror group, came to the market with members of his gang attacking, looting opened shops and forcing people to lock up their shops and preventing them from doing their legitimate businesses.”
“Shouting at the top of their voices today is Monday and everybody must obey the sit at home order “. This did not go down well with the people who resisted it in its entirety.
“In the pandemonium that ensured, angry mobs in their numbers held the leader of the gang, one Obinwanne Iwu tied his hands behind, while others fled the scene into hiding. In the process, he was mercilessly beaten to death, before the police patrol team arrived at the scene. Efforts made by the police patrol team to arrest the perpetrators proved abortive as they all fled the scene on sighting the patrol team,” a statement by the police boss further states.
Rabiu condemned the action of the villagers, which he described as “barbaric”, while advising members of the public to always hand over suspects to the police for proper investigation and prosecution.
He said the command had commenced investigation into the incident.
0