Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested Julius Amadi a gang leader and nine others for assaulting a pastor Mr Oko Obeni in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, DSP, Loveth Odah made this known in a statement on Wednesday stated that the incident took place at Ogo playground, Amasiri in Afikpo North Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The PPRO said that Obeni, who hails from Ndukwe in Amasiri LGA, reported the incident at the Afikpo North Divisional Police Station on May 14, at about 5 p.m.
“The pastor reported that the Isu Oru age-grade led by Amadi and deputised by Eze Ogbonna dragged him to the Ogo playground, tied his hands to his back and flogged him severally with canes.
“This he said gave him multiple injuries on his body as they also poured water on him,’’ the PPRO said.
Odah said that the victim was rushed to the hospital for proper medical care, adding that he was responding to treatment.
She said that the police immediately swung into action and subsequently arrested Amadi, the leader of the age-grade and nine others.
The PPRO noted that preliminary investigations revealed that the assault on the pastor was due to a post he made on ‘facebook’ condemning a particular action of the Afikpo North LGA chairman, Mr Ogbonnia Oko-Enyim.
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“The post commended the traditional ruler of the area over the decision taken against the council boss on the said action as this allegedly angered the chairman’s loyalists.
“This made them take laws into their hands, thereby committing the heinous crime,” Odah said.
Odah, however, said that the Acting Commissioner of Police in the state, Deputy Commissioner of Police Yekini Ayoku had urged members of the public to remain calm and ordered a full investigation into the matter.
This according to her is to unravel the circumstances which led to such inhuman treatment.
