Hoodlums Invade Court, Free Suspects in Delta

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

There was anxiety last Tuesday at the Magistrate Court in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, as hoodlums overpowered police officers from the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and successfully freed several suspects that were arraigned earlier.

THISDAY gathered that the suspects were arraigned at the court in Ogwashi-Uku on charges of assaulting some members of the Ogwashi-Uku vigilance group.

The suspects allegedly attacked the security maintenance volunteers armed with dangerous weapons, including machetes, inflicting serious wounds on several of the vigilance group members.

Four male suspects nabbed by the police were identified as Elue Nwaolise, Azuka Obata, Ifechukwude Ikewenji, and Osim Okelue.

The four suspects were brought before the Magistrate Court 1 in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state by the security personnel.

However, trouble reportedly started when the police arraigned them but the suspects were subsequently granted bail by the magistrate but with stringent bail conditions.

The court officials were preparing to take the suspects into custody at the nearby correctional centre because they could not immediately perfect their bail conditions, including verification of the required sureties, who the mob action occurred.

The hoodlums then launched a surprise attack on the officials with two armed police escorts from the state CID, overpowered the officers and freed the suspects who were still in handcuffs.

 The hoodlums also attacked the backup security agents that the court officials had called from the Ogwashi-Uku Divisional Police headquarters, and assaulted some of the policemen, THISDAY further learnt.

The mob action at the Magistrate Court in Ogwashi-Uku and the forceful release of the suspects have reportedly left the state police Command authorities embarrassed and furious.

Meanwhile, there was palpable tension in Ogwashi-Uku community as the police in the area began a manhunt not only for the fleeing suspects but those behind the mob action in the court believed to be supporters of a certain chief in the community.

There was also anger among the people of the community who have openly criticised the poor handling of the situation by the police, especially due to the fact that some of the escapees had about a year ago been interrogated by the police following the torching of the house of the Odogwu of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom and alleged raping of his wife.

 The state Police Command spokesman, Mr. Bright Edafe, a DSP, who confirmed the incident to THISDAY yesterday morning, said the police was on the trail of the illegally freed suspects and the perpetrators of the act of hooliganism at the premises of the magistrate court in Ogwashi-Uku.

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