CITY NEWS Mob vandalises police patrol vans
Amob is said to have manhandled a mobile policeman and also vandalised two police patrol vans at Sabon-Gari village, on the Abuja-Lokoja road at the weekend.
A witness, who preferred anonymity, said trouble started after the driver of an unmarked Golf car loaded with pepper had a disagreement with mobile policemen at a checkpoint over N100.
He said the incident happened after the policeman allegedly demanded N100 from the driver of the Golf wagon, Abdullahi Attahiru, saying the driver instead gave the policeman N50 but one of the policemen at the checkpoint insisted that the driver must give them N100.
He said an argument ensued between the driver and the policemen which attracted other motorists and the youths in the area.
He said the mob pounced on one of the policemen and beat him up while they also vandalized two patrol vans.
“In fact, the situation became tensed when youths from Kwaita and GadaBiyu neighbouring villages mobilised to the checkpoint and engaged the policemen in a serious fight, which resulted to the blockade of the highway that morning,” he said.
Our reporter learnt that tankers and trailers drivers coming from Lokoja axis as well as those of smaller cars used their vehicles to block the two lanes as travellers got trapped in the gridlock that lasted for almost eight hours.
City News, however, learnt that the road was later opened after the Kwali Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP A.Y Abdul, called for reinforcements from the FCT police command.
It was further learnt that the mob also removed two tyres of one the police patrol vans and escaped with them.
When contacted, the Kwali DPO, A.Y Abdul, declined comment and referred our reporter to FCT police command.
The FCT police command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Anjuguri Manzah, confirmed the incident, but denied claim that the police extorted money from the motorist.
He said the command was investigating the incident, while the perpetrators would be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.