Incesant Kidnappings: Angry Residents set Police station on fire
Some angry youths, on Sunday, burnt a Police station in Agenebode, the headquarters of Etsako East local government area in Edo State, over allegations of kidnappings and killings in the area by suspected hoodlums.
The irked youths claimed that the police were providing cover for the suspected hoodlums.
The people claimed that the criminal elements were kidnapping and killing people in the area for suspected organ harvesting.
According to Tribune, the incident that led to this carnage according to a resident was the case of a young boy who was said to have been kidnapped some weeks ago and after ransom was paid, he was still not released.
It was gathered that the community youths were able to track the phone and the user was arrested and handed over to the police and that in the process, the user was traced to the head of the hoodlums in the area.
Apparently not satisfied with the way the police were handling the matter, the youths of the community were said to have stormed the police station and took away the suspect who it was gathered led them to the house of the hoodlums, where on prodding, allegedly confessed to them that several kidnapped victims have been killed buried in shallow graves after parts of their bodies have been harvested.
The infuriated youths dug out the decomposing body of the young man in the compound of the leader who had reportedly fled with his family and in the process of digging up the decomposing body, saw several bones believed to be that of human beings.
In anger, the youths were said to have burnt down the building and then the business centres and then stormed the police station and set it ablaze.
One of the youths said “Enough is enough, this must stop, police kill our children and still collect money from us, these kidnappers will kidnap our children, collect money and still kill them. They will collect, N2.5 million sometimes N3 million from us and still the victims.”
When contacted, the chairman of the Council, Mrs Benedicta Atoh was said to be too shocked to talk as claimed by one of his aides.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 5, Arungwa Udo and the State Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo have visited the place apparently to restore order and have an on the spot assessment
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Command, Moses Yamu replied to Tribune through a text message that “Will get back to you ASAP (as soon as possible).
