From Joseph Obukata, Warri
For allegedly assaulting police officers on duty, a magistrate court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has remanded the Vice Chairman of Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, Amaka Anigwe, and three others in prison custody.
Daily Sun gathered that the vice chairman and three others were arraigned at Magistrate Court 1, in Asaba on 16-counts charges and remanded at Ogwashi-Uku and Agbor Correctional centres following a violent altercation they had with policemen on stop and search duty at the state capital, Asaba.
Findings revealed that the Aniocha South council vice chairman was arraigned on Friday alongside one Samuel Agu, 29 years, and two others.
Trouble started for Anigwe, a 26-year-old lady, after attempting by police to search her Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked Delta Asaba-33HK, resulted in a violent resistance in which she and three others reportedly pounce on the policemen.
It was learnt that Anigwe was flagged down by the policemen at about 9.30 p.m last Thursday along Nnebisi road by Kowen plaza for routine checks but instead of cooperating with the security agents, she jumped down from her vehicle and started shouting “do you know who I am?” and in an ensuing melee, she allegedly slapped one of the personnel.
Witness said that a motorist simply identified as Samuel Agu who was charged alongside the vice chairman, on seeing the ensuing commotion as ‘she was shouting on top of her voice”, parked his vehicle and joined the fray and also slapped one of the policemen.’
Agu, it was gathered, was also joined by two others in the attack on the security agents.
It was learnt that the vice chairman who apparently became emboldened by the support from the said Agu and two others, reportedly hurled out more slaps on the security agents, who were provoked to shoot but calmed themselves and resorted to filming the scene.
‘The security men were provoked to the point of shooting but calmed themselves down. They thereafter called for reinforcement before the attackers were subdued, arrested and were taken to “A” Division of the Nigeria Police station in Asaba”, the source said.
Video footage of the incident obtained by Daily Sun indicates that the council vice chairman became more furious with the police when she discovered one of them was filming her actions. One of the suspects was seen trying to fight a policeman who was recording the scene.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officers Edafe Bright, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident, saying that the case has been adjourned till March 16, for hearing.
Recalls that the development is coming two years after a serving chairman in Patani Local Government, Mr Perez Omoun was also arraigned in a similar manner and remanded in prison custody for allegedly assaulting the current commissioner for Energy in the state, Rt Hon Basil Ganagana and members of his family in Asaba, the state capital.