The Police Command in Delta State has confirmed, contrary to reports making the rounds, that no mosque was burnt in Jeddo community, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Orerokpe Police Division, SP Ojo Oluwole and the acting Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed this.
Both SP Oluwole and DSP Edafe, when contacted, confirmed to TNG that no mosque was burnt in Jeddo, and that neither Muslims nor Northerners were chased out of their worship centre in protest against the killing of Mr Jude Akieru, the community vigilante commander.
“There is no mosque burnt at Jeddo,” SP Oluwole told TNG. Speaking in the same vein, DSP Edafe said: “no mosque was burnt. There is nothing like that. That Muslims and northerners were driven from their place of worship before setting the mosque ablaze on Friday is false.
“An incident happened at the mosque, but it was not set ablaze. I believe very soon we will get to the root of this matter, and get the killers of the vigilante commander to justice. As soon as the incident happened, we commenced investigation.
TNG had earlier reported how Mr Akieru, the community vigilante commander, was in the early hours of Friday killed by unknown gunmen suspected to be armed robbers.
According to an eyewitness, the vigilante commander, popularly known as Skosko, who recently got married in February, was on routine patrol when the unknown gunmen attacked and killed him.
The sad incident, which happened at about 2:00 am, left motorists and residents stranded as angry youths of the community barricaded the ever busy community road.
The eyewitness told TNG that some armed robbers were reportedly operating in an area in a neighbouring community, and the Jeddo vigilante commander and his men were called upon to mobilize and reinforce against the armed robbers.
“While trying to mobilize his men, Mr Akieru, who was on routine patrol, encountered some boys, who were walking down the road from the direction of the neighbouring community where the armed robbery was reportedly taking place.
“The vigilante commander then tried to interrogate the boys to find out where they were coming from at that ungodly hour. While he was pointing his torchlight to try to identify the boys, the boys repeatedly asked him to put off the torchlight. In the heat of the moment, the boys shot at him.
“As the boys continued walking down the community road, some bike men, suspected to be Northerners, rode down the road and took the boys away.
“Angered by the killing of Akieru, youths of the community barricaded the ever-busy community road and made bonfires, leaving motorists and residents stranded.
“When the news went round that it was some Northern bike men that aided the escape of the suspected armed robbers, the angry youths then made way to the Hausa quarters in the community, but were overpowered by the Naval officers and Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) stationed in the community.
“We have these naval officers, red beret (referring to the CTU) and army stationed in our community, but everyday we live in fear of insecurity. When we run to the Navy, they tell us they are not sent for the community. When we run to the red beret, they tell us they are for counter terrorism. When we go to the army, they tell us they are sent to protect pipelines only. So, we are left helpless.
“Upon retreating from the Hausa quarters, the angry youths made way to the mosque located in the community, but were swayed against damaging the mosque. However, the windows of the mosque were damaged. Also, the youths ransacked the office of the Imam and made away with the mosque water pump,” the eyewitness narrated.
TNG reports it took the efforts of SP Oluwole and his men to clear the road of the barricades and the bonfires, and to bring the situation under control. Addressing the community, Oluwole assured the killers of Mr Akieru would be brought to book.
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The DPO said immediately he got wind of the incident, he mobilized his men to the community, but regretted that the perpetrators of the dastardly act were not immediately apprehended.
While appealing to leaders and residents of Jeddo community to volunteer intelligence to enhance investigation of the matter, Oluwole said investigation had already commenced on the matter.
TNG reports the body of the dead vigilante commander has been deposited in the mortuary.