A man claiming to be from Anambra State was saved from an attempted lynching by police at the Itam Timber Market in Akwa Ibom’s Itu Local Government Area. The man, whose identity has not yet been released, was carrying a carton containing the lifeless body of his son when he was confronted by suspicious traders at the market.
Witnesses reported that the man had two young boys with him as he headed toward a waste area with the carton on his head. Traders grew suspicious and intercepted him, demanding he reveal the carton’s contents. Upon inspection, they discovered the body of a young boy wrapped in torn cloth, sparking accusations of possible ritualistic motives.
A bystander shared that angry traders confronted the man, accusing him of foul play and forcing him to remove the child’s body from the carton. The scene attracted a crowd, some of whom recorded a video that quickly spread online, showing the man struggling against the mob until police arrived to contain the situation.
In a statement, the Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, clarified that preliminary investigations indicated no foul play in the child’s death. “The father of three explained to police that, by his cultural traditions, males who pass away must be buried in their community. He was on his way to Anambra State for this purpose when he was stopped,” ASP John said.
The police have since transferred the child’s body to a morgue and are conducting further investigations to confirm the details surrounding the incident.
