A police inspector identified as Inspector John on Wednesday escaped lynching at the premises of Christ the King Catholic Cathedral (CKC), Aba, Abia State where he went to arrest a lady.
The inspector attached to the Ndiegoro Police Division aka Cameroon Barracks whom many eyewitnesses accused of being notorious was given the beating of his life by angry worshippers who saw his method of policing as unacceptable.
Sources said that John came into the church premises on mufti with gun in the company of a woman whom he brought to identify a certain suspect within the church premises for arrest.
John was said to have driven himself into CKC, identified the suspect, arrested her and was trying to secretly exit the premises as he came when alarm was raised.
He was given the beaten of his life before some persons later identified him as a police inspector serving at the Ndiegoro Police Division, Aba.
By the time our reporter visited the CKC, the crowd outside the gate were already agitating that John be given to them to deal with mercilessly.
The crowd also insisted that they will not leave the premises of the church until the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Janet Agbede comes in person to hear their complaints against John publicly.
As at when filling this reports, the Area Commander in charge of the Aba Police Command tried to intervene, but failed as angry worshippers and mob insisted on seeing the CP.
An eyewitness said that John is well known for maltreating helpless Aba residents and was fingered in the burning of buildings at Okojombo, Ntueke and Degema streets within Ndiegoro axis of Aba in 2019
“In 2019 when the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, Drugs & Narcotics and Human Rights visited Aba to investigate the crisis at Ndiegoro, this Inspector John was fingered. The people made it very clear that he led the team that burnt their houses.
“The DPO of the Cameroon Barracks was transferred together with over 30 police officers. John who was accused of leading the team that burnt people’s houses is still serving and destroying more things here in Aba.
“Just look at the way he came in? How can you come for a genuine arrest within the headquarters of the Aba Catholic Diocese without notice or even collaborate with the church and its security?
“This is not the first time he’s been involved in provocative activities in Aba. I don’t know why they’ve refused to transfer him despite series of reports against him,” one of the eyewitnesses said.
Another eyewitness, who gave his name as Kennedy said, “He came into the church on mufti and gun. It sent wrong signal when the alarm was raised. Everything looked suspicious about his move and to me that is why when alarm was raised, people thought he was a kidnapper and descended on him.
“We have a Bishop here. There’s a security post here as well. How can John think he can secretly take somebody out of here and tried to intimidate his way out? His method is suspicious and must be looked into even after the disgrace he got today.”
Kennedy said that John was lucky that the security locked the Churches gate, because if the mob were allowed to get hold of the officer, the story would have been different.
Another eyewitness who spoke anonymously said, ” Since you’re a journalist, go to the police station and ask them if John was sent here. You’ll discover that John must have come on illegal duties.
“He’s taking too much in this Aba and all the CPs that have come and gone all failed to do something about his style of policing.
“We shall all stay here until the Commissioner of Police comes around to tell us why John is untouchable in Ndiegoro Police station notwithstanding every negative reports about him.
“Can you imagine trying to arrest a lady away unnoticed while she came to worship? The news tomorrow will be that she came to church and disappeared not knowing that she was secretly whisked away by police officer.”
Also speaking, a source said that the lady John tried to whisk away with the excuse that she was involved in phone theft is a vocalist at the church.
The source said that John’s decision to try to intimidate the CKC security with his gun was what escalated the matter and led to his attack by angry crowd who never knew he was a police officer.
