A police constabulary and vigilantes in Akwukwu-Igbo, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, have been accused of brutalising their cousin, Uchenna Nmakwe, over N250,000.

It was gathered that the suspects brutalised the victim at a family meeting and went away with the N250,000 bride price brought to them by their in-law.

Narrating his ordeal on Thursday, Uchenna alleged that his cousins used a cutlass and a hammer to beat him up over the money.

He said, “Our in-law said they don’t want a ceremony for the marriage which was held on May 7, 2023. The N250,000 they brought was paid into our elder’s brother account, so we could not share it that day.”

“I was brutally attacked around 6pm in my grandfather’s house by my own cousins, Anthony Nmakwe, Ezindu Nmakwe, and Chinedu Nmakwe.

“They mercilessly assaulted me using a cutlass, hammer, and a pump-action gun. They used the hammer to hit my father’s mouth.

“Anthony is the vigilante chairman of Akwukwu-Igbo; Chinedu is a constabulary with the police, and Ezeidu serves as a vigilante within the Akwukwu-Igbo community. The police have refused to arrest them.”

A human rights activist, Mr Victor Ojei, petitioned the state Commissioner of Police over the incident, accusing the suspects of attempted murder and abuse of office.

In the petition, Ojei urged the police to bring the suspects to book.

The petition noted that the incident was not an isolated case as a previous marriage in the family also led to Anthony allegedly biting Uchenna on his back.

Anthony, who spoke to our correspondent on the phone, said the injuries on Uchenna were a result of the fight over the “N250,000 marriage fee”.

He noted that “bamboo was used to hit him for insulting his elder brother at the meeting.”

The state police spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident, adding that the case had been transferred to the police headquarters.

He said, “We have not arrested the suspects; the Area Command, Asaba, arrested his brothers and could not keep them, so they were released. But the case has been transferred to the headquarters.” (Text, excludes headline: Saturday PUNCH)

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