Emma Ogu
5 November 2009
Owerri — Tuesday in Umuguma Owerri, Imo State capital as two of them shot their colleague to death on their way to a robbery adventure, over disagreement on an undisclosed issue. The two suspects were later apprehended by the police while they were about to be lynched by angry villagers.
The incident coincided with the killing of a youth from Irette community by Hausa herdsmen who stabbed another to a state of unconsciousness for allegedly killing one of their animals. The second victim of the attack was said to be in critical condition and is receiving treatment in a nearby hospital. However, unconfirmed report said he died later.
The armed robbers were said to be on their evil mission when quarrel ensued between two of them possibly over their modus operandi. It was reliably gathered that two members of the gang conspired and shot their colleague simply identified as Olewuike when he refused to yield to their request.
After shooting him, they reportedly carried his body to his house and were about to drop it when some members of the family still awake spotted them and raised alarm that aroused their neighbours, leading to their arrest.
They reportedly claimed that Olewuike mistakenly shot himself and died on the spot. While the villagers mobilized to lynch them, men of crack squad patrol team of the state police command stormed the area and arrested the two gang members.
A reliable source from the police command who pleaded for anonymity told our correspondent that the two gang members claimed that their colleague mistakenly shot himself and died, a situation that warranted them to take his copse to his house but in the processes of dumping it they were caught by his family members who attempted to lynch them in anger until the arrival of the patrol team.
Meanwhile, tension has enveloped Irrete community near Owerri following the alleged killing of a youth from the area by Hausa/Fulani herdsmen for the disappearance of their cow later discovered to have been killed and shared by some youths protesting incessant destruction of their crops by the grazing animals.
Report said the youths had warned the herdsmen on a number of occasions over the destructive activities of their animals in the area all to no avail, a situation that made some of them to conspire and slaughter one of the cows, sharing the meat among themselves.
But the cattle dealers reportedly revenged with daggers and arrows on Tuesday and allegedly killed one of the indigenes of the area. Unconfirmed report said the second victim of the bloody attack died later even as another insisted that he was critically injured and is presently receiving treatment in a hospital. The irony of it according to our source is that the victims did not partake in both the alleged killing and eating of the cow.
A combined team of policemen and soldiers was said to have been drafted to the community to avoid further break down of law and order. Also, to avoid possible escalation of the matter, special adviser to the governor on security, Chief George Egu yesterday invited the Hausa community to a meeting on Friday through a release repeatedly aired on radio. Egu also confirmed to Daily Champion that only one person was killed in the incident.
Police image maker, Linus Nwaiwu told Daily Champion that he was yet to be briefed on the two incidents in Umuguma and Irette. He however, described the killing of the kidnapper by colleagues as a good development.
A text message sent to the commissioner of police Mr. Aloysius Okorie was yet to be replied as at press time as source told our correspondent that he was in a crucial meeting with visiting Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and some senior police officers.
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