Three die as Anambra revenue collectors, mob engage in bloody clash at Onitsha

PHIL OKOSE, Onitsha

At least three people were reportedly killed and scores injured when some acclaimed Anambra State revenue collectors and an angry mob engaged themselves in a bloody clash at Old Market Road/Venn road North, Onitsha.

It was gathered that the problem started when a tipper was being pursued by the revenue officials and in the process the driver lost control and rammed into a pedestrian and crushed him to death.

In anger, the onlookers who were mostly, youths, mobilized themselves as mob and attacked the officials with clubs, stones sticks, pebbles among others and two were reportedly killed in the fray.

An eye witness who simply identified himself as Mr. Jackson stated that, “These are touts who claim to be government revenue agents and they have been terrorizing motorists that ply this area daily.

“Just today they were pursuing a tipper and some of them jumped to the driver’s seat and were struggling with  the steering with the driver and in the process the driver lost control of the vehicle and it hit a passerby, killing him on the spot, and as they were about to run away angry mob caught two of them and killed them.

“The police on a tip-off stormed the scene and picked the dead officials away and others who sustained various degrees of injuries were rushed to yet to be disclosed hospitals.

“As it stands now residents and others in Onitsha have started hunting for these touts who continued to make Onitsha uninhabitable,” he further disclosed.

Confirming the incident, the Onitsha police Area Commander, Mr. Nzota Chidi, (ACP), lamented that lectures and counseling he gave to these revenue agents and other organizations fell on deaf ears.

His words, “I have been warning them, now Onitsha residents have started to react. As Police Area Commander, I have come here to calm the whole place. For one month plus now I came here, I have not rested just to make sure the area is calm. Holding meetings with everyone.

“I have not gotten details as to a number of casualties but for now I think the only death is the one crushed by the tipper, two revenue personnel were severely injured and we’re rushed to the hospital, I learnt,” he stated.

Also contacted, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Central Police Station, Onitsha, Mr. Nnamdi Anabike, (CSP), confirmed the incident but stated that only one person who was hit by the tipper died.