The Imo State Police Command has issued a stern warning to the public against taking the law into their own hands following the brutal killing of a couple by a mob in the Orogwe community, Owerri West LGA, on Monday. The couple was allegedly caught attempting to steal a motorcycle at gunpoint, which led enraged locals to set them ablaze.
Speaking to PUNCH Metro on Thursday, Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, urged residents to allow law enforcement to handle such incidents, stressing that mob justice only obstructs the course of justice. “Any suspect should be handed over to the police for proper investigations. We are committed to apprehending those responsible for this violent act,” Okoye said.
According to community sources, the couple, well-known in the area, was suspected of involvement in a series of motorcycle thefts, which had left many residents on high alert. When they were allegedly caught in the act, angry youths and vigilantes refused to hand them over to the police, instead taking matters into their own hands.
In the aftermath, several youths have fled the community, fearing possible arrest as the police launch an investigation into the incident.
