Two police operatives have been lynched in Edo State, south-south Nigeria.
The incident happened in Ikpeshi, a community in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state, according to a report by Vanguard newspaper.
The paper did not mention when the incident happened, but there are indications that it happened on Saturday.
How it happened
The police operatives were said to be escorting a former member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Agbaje when a vehicle in their convoy hit and killed a commercial motorcycle rider.
The operatives, who were in a Toyota Hilux truck, would later be taken to the Edo State Security Volunteer Network, a vigilante group.
Some angry youths were said to have invaded the security facility where the police operatives were taken to, overran the facility and lynched the two operatives, according to the paper.
They were said to have also attacked the vigilante facility and destroyed their furniture while threatening to deal with their members who tried to rescue the police officers.
However, members of the vigilante group were able to rescue two other police operatives who are reportedly receiving treatment in Ifejola Hospital Igarra.
Some rifles belonging to the operatives were also recovered.
The paper quoted an unnamed police source as saying that the slain police operatives were from Police Mobile Force 19 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The source said, that apart from the motorcycle rider, his female passenger also died in the road crash.
He identified the slain operatives as Abubakar Fakku, an inspector and Elisha John, a sergeant.
The police spokesperson in Edo State, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident on Sunday, according to the report.
Mr Nwabuzor, a superintendent of police, however, said he did not have details of the incident.
Reacting, the Chairperson of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state, Tajudeen Alade, condemned the attack by the youths.
Mr Alade, a lawyer, commended the vigilante group for their efforts to save the police operatives.
The chairperson said those involved would be prosecuted. He promised to support the twin sister of one of the victims of the accident.
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