2 Robbery Suspects Killed By Mob In Owerri

The police in Owerri on Friday said a mob killed two suspected members
of a four-man robbery gang, believed to have been terrorising
residents of Spibat area of Akwakuma, Owerri.
The Public Relations Officer of thestate Police Command , Mr Vitalis
Onugu, told reporters that the suspects were arrested by members of
the Special Anti-Robbery squad at the state Criminal Investigation
Department(CID) who responded to a distresscall.
He said the two suspects were first arrested by the local
vigilancegroup operating in Spibat area in Akwakuma and about to be
lynched by the mob when the police arrived at the scene and rescued
them.
"Responding to the call, the anti robbery squad got there and found
the suspects already tied down with tyres around their necks and were
about to be burned alive.
"They were rescued but at the point of death as a result of machete
cuts dealt on them by the angry mob. They died before we could get
them to the hospital.
"However, one of the suspects, Buchi, from Akpodim in Mbaise, Imo,
managed to describe to the policemen the location of their hideout
before he died," he said.
Onugu said the police immediately swung into action and arrested two
other suspects in a thick bush behind Orji Mechanic Village in an
uncompleted building.
The suspects were alleged to have dispossessed people of theirlaptops,
cell phones, plasma television sets and ATM cards, Onugu said.
He said that items recovered fromthe suspects included Indian hemp,
charms and magical instruments, assorted SIM cards, cell phones and
white candles with an inscription "white confusion".
The police spokesman also said that loaded double barrel shotguns and
other dangerous weapons were recovered from the suspects.
He said a full investigation into the incident had begun.
SOURCE: Vanguard.