Irate youths of Odo -Ere in Yagba West council area of Kogi State has set ablaze the police station in the area, following the arrest of two armed robbers who were among the gang that robbed two banks in the council area on Tuesday.
The youths,, on Thursday were said to have clashed with the policemen at the station, demanding to get hold of the suspects for possible ‘justice’.
The policemen were said to have resisted the youths, arguing that the law should be allowed to take its full course.
Piqued by the resistance of the policemen, the youths were said to have attacked the station in search of the suspects.
In the process, one of the police officers died along with two other civilians.
Narrating the development, the state Police Public Relation Officer, William Anya, said the civilians died at the hospital after receiving beating from the mob.
Anya said: “It would be recalled that, on Tuesday some suspected armed robbers attacked a bank at Odo-Ere and another at Egbe all in Yagba West Local Government.
“Consequently, the Police launched a manhunt for the suspects — in synergy with other security agencies, hunters and vigilantes — to the hills where they escaped to.
“Aerial surveillance by the helicopter along with the Special Forces at the Oke-Ere hills, where the hoodlums were trapped, trapped two of the suspects.
“They were arrested and taken to Odo-Ere Division.
“The irate mob went to the station, demanding that the two suspects be given to them to lynch.
“All efforts by the Police to placate the mob prove abortive, and they became violent.
“In the process they lynched one Inspector Bamisaye Gbenga and injured PC Sunday Alechenu.
“In the efforts to disperse the mob, two persons, a male and a female, were maimed. Both died in the hospital while receiving treatment.
“Meanwhile, part of the station was set ablaze by the mob.
“The Commissioner of Police, while condemning the act of lawlessness perpetrated by the youth of Ode-Ere, calls on them to restrain from taking the law into their hands.
“While assuring the public that at the conclusion of investigation, the suspects will be arraigned in court to face justice.”
The armed robbers, on Tuesday, had attack the two banks in coordinated attacks, killing two of the security personnel, while two other civilians were felled by stray bullets.
