A 45-year-old Police Inspector, identified as Festus Onori was on Sunday allegedly lynched to death by suspected Okada riders at Ogwashi-Uku community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Daily Trust gathered that the police officer who served at the Marine Police Station (Cable Point Asaba) was lynched to death in the presence of his wife and three children while on their way to Sunday Church service.
Efforts to get confirmation from the Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Bright Edafe were unsuccessful as he did not pick up calls put across to his mobile phone.
He also did not respond to WhatsApp messages sent to him.
But the elder brother to the deceased, Austin Onori, narrated that trouble started when a commercial motorcyclist hit his brother’s vehicle from behind in Okpanam while going to Sunday Church service with his family.
He said as a result of the accident, his brother stopped and packed his vehicle at a distance to ascertain the level of damage and to ensure that the motorcyclist and passenger were not hurt.
He said no sooner had his brother alighted from the vehicle than young men of about 20 armed with sticks and clubs started chasing him.
He narrated that the sight of the armed young men prompted him to run back into his car, adding that as he drove off fearing for his life, the young men continued to pursue him.
According to him, when he got to marble hill (Okpanam), he diverted through that road to the Express road, thinking that his chasers would be discouraged and retreat.
“Behold, they pursued him down to Ogwashi-Uku Community even facing Kwale when the fuel in his vehicle got exhausted on the Ogwashi Uku Community Kwale Expressway.
“At that time, his pursuers numbering over 200 then mobbed him to death in the presence of his wife and three children.
“They also destroyed his vehicle. It was a passerby who, according to the wife’s statement, took him (Inspector Onori) to Ogwashi-Uku Police Station before he was confirmed dead.
“As I speak, his body is in the morgue,” he said.