A Police vehicle set ablaze by angry mob

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

There was pandemonium in Benin, capital of Edo State Tuesday, when an unidentified commercial cab driver, was killed by a petrol tanker, after he was allegedly pushed into the road by police operatives who mounted a check point on the road.

The incident which occurred around 3rd East Circular Road, by Igun Junction, caused traffic logjam on the ever busy Akpakpava road and all other adjourning roads, as all the link roads were blocked with bonfires by angry protesters.

It was gathered that the police operatives stopped the victim who was said to be with his wife and two children in the car, and demanded for N100 from him, which was said to have resulted in an altercation.

For reasons unknown to anyone, a police operative allegedly pushed him into the moving petrol tanker, which was said to have matched the deceased on the head, spilling his brain on the road.

Following the death of the unidentified man, irate youths and drivers mobilised and descended on the police operatives, making them to abandon their operational vehicle behind and flee.

One of the policemen was however not so lucky, as he was said to have been attached and pushed into the roadside drainage.

As at the time of filling this report, unconfirmed sources had it that one of the policemen was killed and about four Toyota Hilux vans belonging to the Nigeria Police were set ablaze by the enraged protesters.

The vehicle of the victim, a black BMW with registration number AFZ 846 HW and the petrol tanker marked FKJ 567 XB, were parked at the scene of the incident.

Calls made to the mobile phones of the State Police Commissiner, Mr. Johnson Babatunde Kokumo and the Command’s spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor went unanswered.

Also, a text message sent to the Commissioner’s mobile phone went unreplied.