Tension in Anambra As Angry Mob Set Two Revenue Collectors Ablaze
By: Olufemi Orunsola
Reports reaching the news desk of OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) have it that an irate mob on Friday, set ablaze two men, believed to be revenue touts working with Anambra State government, building up tension in the Eastern Nigerian city.
OTN News gathered that the two in question whose identify have not been fully identified, were set ablaze for causing the death of an innocent bystander at Old Market Road along Venn Road by Egerton in Onitsha, Anambra State.
It was gathered that the tipper driver lost control of his vehicle and rammed into the by-stander, killing him immediately, while the revenue touts reportedly dragged the steering of the vehicle with him.
A gory video sighted by OTN News circulating on social media reveals the mob, beating two of the revenue agents with different objects, subsequently setting them ablaze.
A man, who made video recording of the incident was quoted to have said, “There was chaos in Onitsha this morning as angry mob set ablaze two revenue touts, while four others were lucky as they managed to escape.
“The revenue collectors, numbering about six were chasing the tipper driver over a certain amount they asked him to pay."
“As they were chasing him, some of them were dragging the steering with him, but unfortunately, in the process, the tipper driver lost control rammed into a passer-by, killing him instantly.
“Immediately, the revenue collectors saw the damage they have caused, they tried to flee the scene, but Onitsha mob got angry and descended on them, setting ablaze two of them instantly while four of them managed to escape.
“This is one death too many that has been going on in Anambra in the last two years. The person who the tipper driver rammed into is a known person. We cannot continue like this anymore. These Revenue touts of the state government have killed more Ndi Anambra than non-state actors.”
Another eye witness, a trader in the busy commercial Eastern Nigerian city, also revealed that “Onitsha was hot this morning at Egerton by old market road. Revenue men were dragging steering with a tipper driver because he refused to give them bribe and in the process, the vehicle ran over an innocent man, then seeing the result of their stupid action, they tried to run away. But the angry people chased and caught two of them.”
Videos of the gory incident, showing the burnt corpses of the revenue collectors have been making the rounds in the social media to corroborate the story.
OTN News further reports that the Anambra State Police Command Spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, has confirmed the development, saying the police have responded swiftly to bring the situation under control.
He said, “Anambra Police responded swiftly on the receipt of the fatal accident that happened with that area.
“We are already working with the relevant authorities to ascertain what happened and find an amicable solution to such especially on future occurrences.
“I will get back to you as soon as I get more facts on the incident, please.” the Police source said.
A cross section of Anambra people interviewed by OTN News correspondent in Akwa, Samson Stephen, disclosed that the menace of wild behaviours and harassments of members of the public by purported tax revenue collecting agents of the Anambra state government under Charles Soludo has become an issue of recurring public concerns, with many interviewees who pled for anonymity have described their behaviours as "constituting public nuisance" all in the name of acting as revenue touts for the state government.
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