Edo Police say New Benin assailant is insane, identity unknown, victim survived

The Edo State Police Command, on Saturday, said that the assailant, who allegedly stabbed an Igbo trader at the New Benin Market, Benin City, Edo State capital, early Saturday morning, is unknown.

The Command further stated that the assailant is presumed to be a mad man, while his victim survived the attack.

The New Benin area of the Benin metropolis had momentarily experienced an orgy of violence, on Saturday morning, when the news filtered to town that a Hausa trader allegedly stabbed an Igbo trader to death over a minor altercation.

In the various videos of the viral shared on the social media, various scenes of mob attacks, destruction of goods at the market, mob action on the assailant and police rescue operations were depicted.

But reacting to the development, Mr Chidi Nwabuzor, Edo Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, allayed the fear that the victim died, just as he made no comment on the alleged second victim of the incident, said to be a woman.

In a press statement personally endorsed by the PPRO, the Command said that the unidentified assailant used cutlass to inflict bodily injuries on his victim, whose name was given as Mr Anthony Jibunor.

The text of the PPRO’s statement titled: “Case of Attempted Murder and Act Likely to Cause Public Breach of Peace” reads:

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

“The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that its aware of the incident that occurred today being Saturday, June 11, 2022, where a young man whose name and address are unknown but profiled to be a mad man used cutlass to inflict bodily injuries on one Mr Anthony Jibunor ‘M’ of No. 116 Mission Road, Benin City, Edo State.

“Immediately, the command received the distress call, Command Tactical Teams, Patrol Teams from various Police Divisional Headquarters and their various Divisional Police Officers in and around New Benin Police Divisional Headquarters were dispatched to the scene to bring down something seemly to riotous situation to normal and for protection of lives and property.

“The contingent of policemen that were dispatched to the scene met the assailant who was already in the hands of an angry mob that beat the hell out of him and the victim who the assailant brutally cut with a cutlass. The assailant and his victim were rescued from the angry mob and both of them taken to undisclosed hospitals (for security reasons) for medical treatment.

“The good news so far is that both the victim and the assailant are in good stable medical condition.

“It is worthy of emphasis to clear the air that the identity of the assailant is yet unknown as regarding to his name, address, tribe and family inclination.

“In view of the above, the Commissioner of Police Edo State, CP Abutu Yaro, sympathises with the victim and his family and wishes him a speedy recovery.

“He, however, appeals to the victim’s family members, friends, well-wishers sympathisers and the general public to remain calm and avoid any act capable of causing breach of public peace, which the command will stop at nothing in arresting and prosecuting any offender(s).

“He further warns those that encourage jungle justice to desist from it that no one has the right to take the life of a fellow human being that instead such a perceived offender should be brought to the nearby police station for proper investigation.

How Gunmen Attacked Ondo Church Killing Over 50 During Mass

Edo Police say New Benin assailant is insane, identity unknown, victim survived

We Will Sanction Tinubu For Insulting Buhari ― Adamu, APC National Chairman

Edo Police say New Benin assailant is insane, identity unknown, victim survived

Adeoye Faith