Police
The Ondo State Police Command has rescued two suspects, who were allegedly linked to the murder of a local farmer, from an angry mob attempting to lynch them in the Ala community of Akure North Local Government Area.
The Command also confirmed the arrest of 14 individuals suspected of participating in the mob action, assuring the public that normalcy has been restored to the area.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Command’s Spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the incident stems from the death of a farmer identified as Rasheed Hassan. The victim’s death was initially reported to the police on October 24 from General Camp in the Government Reserve Area.
Police operatives dispatched to the scene evacuated Hassan’s body, which bore severe cutlass wounds to the head and other parts of his body, while his personal belongings were missing.
Detailing the sequence of events leading to the confrontation, Jimoh explained that on October 26, the Youth President of Ala community apprehended two suspects in connection with Hassan’s murder. However, as the Youth President was escorting the suspects to the police station, an irate mob intercepted them and attempted to carry out extrajudicial execution.
“At about 0145 hours on Oct. 27, upon receipt of a distress call, our operatives swiftly moved to the scene and successfully rescued the two suspects from the mob,” Jimoh stated.
The rescue operation turned dangerous when the police patrol team conveying the rescued suspects back to Akure came under heavy attack from the crowd.
During the ambush, two police officers sustained gunshot injuries caused by pellets fired from a pump-action shotgun allegedly operated by one of the youths. The injured officers were immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where they are currently receiving urgent medical treatment.
Jimoh announced that tactical and rescue teams have been deployed to the community to maintain law and order and safeguard lives. He added that full-scale investigations are underway to apprehend all individuals responsible for the farmer’s murder as well as those involved in the attack on the police team.
Cautioning against mob action, the police spokesperson urged members of the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to always hand over suspects to the police for thorough investigation and prosecution. He assured that a discreet investigation is ongoing and that justice will be served.
