By GBENGA ODOGUM

The Kogi State Police Command has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a shop owner and two others over a stolen mobile phone.

The deaths occurred on Monday in the Felele area of Lokoja.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP William Aya, told our correspondent that the command received a distress call from the area around 10am and on arrival at the scene, the personnel discovered two dead bodies said to have been killed in a clash.

The PPRO explained that the deceased, Salisu Ado and Muhammad Mukaila, were alleged to have engaged in a fight over a yet-to-be ascertained issue, which resulted in their death.

He stated that Mukaila was alleged to have stabbed Ado to death, prompting a reprisal by his relations and sympathisers, who also killed the assailant and set his corpse ablaze.

According to Aya, two suspects, Muhammed Mubarak and Suleiman Yakubu, believed to be members of theAro BargerConfraternity, have been arrested in connection with the killings.

An eyewitness, however, told our correspondent that a suspected thief snatched a mobile phone and sneaked into a shop, but the owner was mistaken for the thief and was killed by a mob, while the suspect escaped.

In a reprisal, sympathisers identified one of the killers of the shop owner, beat him to death and set the corpse ablaze.

It was gathered that some persons were taken to hospital for treatment of the injuries they sustained during the clash.

The PPRO said investigation into the incident had commenced as the state Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Ede, had ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department. (Courtesy, The PUNCH, excluding headline)