Tension in Akwa Ibom Community As Youths Set Two Hausa Scavengers Ablaze for killing One Native

Fear has gripped the Afaha Oku, Ikpa community, in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State following the dead of two Hausa scrap metal dealers in the area.

It was gathered that the deceased were set ablaze in retaliation for their involvement in the death of one Akwa Ibom person, identified as Anietie

Narrating the incident in an interview with correspondents in Uyo, a resident of the area who pleaded anonymity said the incident occurred on Sunday January, 2, 2022 about 9:00am

“What happened was that the youths of the village set ablaze two Hausa scrap metal collectors who killed an indigene of this Afaha Oku village, one Anietie over a misunderstanding.

“Anietie went to collect his clothes from the Laundry that Sunday morning, while returning to his compound, he encountered two Hausa scrap collectors, with some items they removed.

“I was told that he accosted them and asked them what they were doing in his compound; so the two Hausa boys got angry and started beating him until he collapsed. When Anietie’s brother who was inside the house saw what happened he started shouting for help.

“People  rushed to the scene and caught the two Hausa scrap collectors. I learnt that the boy died on the way while he was being rushed to the hospital, so it was the news of his tragic death that infuriated the youths, and they now descended on those two Hausa people, threw them inside the gutter and burnt them to death.

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The Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko MacDon who confirmed the incident said the Commissioner of Police, Andrew Amiengheme has ordered a discreet investigation into the incident.

The police spokesman regretted that the deaths would have been averted if both the youths of the area and scrap collectors had not taken the Law into their own hands.

“The Commissioner of Police has ordered that a very thorough investigation be conducted while he still maintained the stance that Jungle justice has no place in our Laws”, he said

The police spokesman noted that Police preliminary investigation revealed that within the hours when people have left for Church, the two scrap metal dealers entered Anietie’s House and stole certain items.

He reiterated that the proper thing people should always do is to hand over whoever was caught in the act of committing a crime to the police for discreet Investigation and prosecution, in order to maintain Law and order in the society.

He warned that “jungle justice would not be tolerated in the state in the state”.