A mob attacked five policemen who attempted to rescue a man accused of stealing another person’s manhood in the Dei Dei area of the Federal Capital Territory.
It was gathered that the policemen attached to the Gwagwa police division, had gone to rescue the man identified as Mubarak who was almost lynched by the mob on Thursday, October 5, 2023.
According to Punch, a yet-to-be-identified man had raised the alarm of his manhood disappearance after coming in contact with Mubarak.
A resident of the area who did not want to be named told the publication on Friday that the mob surrounded the accused and began to beat him to restore the alleged missing manhood.
He said the presence of the police worsened the matter as the mob rather than release the accused to them, attacked the police and destroyed their vehicle.
“On Thursday evening at Dei-Dei Timber market, a man called Mubarak was attacked by an angry mob after a man said his manhood went missing after having contact with him. He cried out for help and some people gathered round Mubarak. He was beaten and almost lynched when about five policemen came to the scene to rescue him. All efforts by the police to ensure that the mob released Mubarak to them fell on deaf ears,” the witness said.
“The mob then turned to the policemen and destroyed their vehicle. Those who escaped called their office and they were reinforced to the place. The whole area was tensed yesterday and we are not even sure what would happen next. This manhood issue is getting out of hand now, it is time we do something about it.”
FCT police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh who confirmed the incident, said officers deployed to the scene were attacked by the mob.
“Our men deployed to the scene to rescue the man were attacked. Reinforcement was immediately deployed. Normalcy has been restored to the area. Lawful citizens can go about their activities without fear,” the PPR stated.
Adeh said the Commissioner of Police condemned the attack on the policemen and ordered the arrest of the perpetrators of the act.
“The CP condemned in strong terms the attack on policemen. He has ordered those involved should be arrested. We are for the umpteenth time warning against mob attacks, particularly on the issue of organ disappearance. We have arrested 14 people involved, and we will continue to do so,” she added.
A video posted on Facebook shows the mob beating a man suspected to be the said Mubarak, as one of the perpetrators kept telling him to “commot am” (the alleged stolen manhood)