The Magistrate court in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State in December 28, 2022, issued bench arrest warrants for suspects in a case with Charge No MO/185c/2022 who with the help of a mob apparently overpowered police officers from the State CID and court officials and freed several suspects from custody.
According to sources in the court, these serial offenders who are now on the run include Mr Elue Nwaolise, Azuka Obata, Ifechukwude Ikewenji and Osim Okelue.
The said suspects are from the Ogbe Odogwu community in Azungwu.
The suspects were brought to the Magistrate court 1 by officers from the state CID to answer to charges after they assaulted Ogwashi-Uku vigilante members with cutlasses and inflicted deep wounds on several of them.
After the suspects were charged to court, they were granted bail but with very strict conditions by the magistrate.
Unable to immediately perfect their bail conditions, the court officials moved to take the suspects into prison custody pending the perfection of documentation and verification of the sureties.
While this was ongoing, the mob attacked the two police officers from the state CID and freed the suspects who were in handcuffs.
The court officials are said to have called for backup from the Divisional Police but the mob attacked several of the police officers, assaulted them and tore their uniforms to shreds.
They succeeded in freeing all the suspects who are currently on the run.
This situation created extreme tension within the community as the Divisional Police have been on the hunt for the suspects and the organisers of the mob who are thought to represent the Odafe, Chief Chike Nwabua in the Azungwu community of Ogwashi-Uku.
Recall that over a year ago some of these same individuals were investigated for murder, and arson in the burning of the house of the Odogwu of Ogwashi-Uku and rape of his wife.
Some of the suspects in the said attack were recently arrested and charged with murder, arson, grevious assault in the Asaba Magistrate court.
They have been remanded in prison custody.
Many community members have expressed their disgust with the violence by this group of suspects who believe they are above the law and have the backing of a serving Assistant Commissioner of police, just as they urged the state police to step up and ensure that the suspects are apprehended and brought to book.
