State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amana Abakasanga, while addressing newsmen said that seven persons had been arrested in connection with the attacks of police DPO at Egume and were undergoing interrogation at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), headquarters of the force in Lokoja.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Egume division of the station was beaten to a pulp while two others sustained serious injuries when a group of rampaging youths attacked the division on Sunday.
Hundreds of irate youths were said to have mobilised in protest over the alleged illegal arrest of some of their kinsmen by the police.
The rampaging youths, in the ensuing pandemonium, were said to have also set ablaze the police patrol van at the station and carted away some ammunition.
The state police commissioner said he got a distress call that some hoodlums had taken over Egume Police Division, kidnapped the DPO and wounded two of his men.
“I mobilised my men and personally led the squad to the area. I also ordered the traditional ruler of the area to produce the boys who carried out the dastardly acts or prepare for any consequences.”
He said “after I handed down this warning, we later discovered two of our Ak47riffles at the back of a shrine close to the palace of the traditional ruler.”
Abakansanga said men of the anti-riot policemen have been drafted to the area while the suspects he said would be charged to court at the end of investigations.
