Police rescue man from angry mob over alleged attempt to dispose child’s corpse at waste bin

Wednesday, November 13, 2024 -A father of three narrowly escaped lynching at the hands of an angry mob after he was caught attempting to dispose of his deceased child’s body at a waste dump in Itam Timber Market, Uyo. Akwa Ibom State Police Command operatives intervened in time to rescue the man, whose name has not been disclosed, after he was accused of ritualistic practices by onlookers.

The man, reportedly from Anambra State, was seen carrying a carton containing the lifeless body of his child, wrapped in torn clothes, as he moved toward a waste disposal area. Witnesses at the scene stated that the man was accompanied by his two other young sons, drawing suspicion from individuals who monitored his actions and eventually confronted him.

“Some angry market men caught the man and brought down the suspected carton from his head before they discovered that it contained the lifeless body of his child, naked but neatly wrapped with torn clothes,” said one witness.

A video circulating online shows the intense confrontation as the man, with the child’s body in one hand, exchanged blows with members of the mob who accused him of ritualistic intentions. The footage depicts the man being forced to remove the child’s body from the carton before police arrived.

Reacting to the incident, ASP Timfon John, the Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, clarified the man’s intentions. According to her, the man explained that he was trying to transport his son’s body back to his hometown for burial, in accordance with Igbo customs, which traditionally do not allow male children to be buried outside their ancestral village.

“On the Itam incident, what happened is that a father of three boys was intercepted by the police at Itam with a dead boy and two living boys,” ASP Timfon John stated. “Upon investigation, the man told the police that all three boys are his, and that in his tradition, deceased males are not buried outside their community. So, he was taking the dead son to the village in Anambra State to be buried.”

She added, “The police have since deposited the dead boy in the morgue and investigations are ongoing. Thank you. Please note that the said man didn’t kill the boy.”

Authorities are conducting further investigations to confirm the circumstances surrounding the child’s death. The police urge the public to remain calm as they work to uncover the facts in this sensitive case.