Two accused ritualists have been rescued from being killed by men of the Anambra State Police command.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the suspects, a male and a female were seen in a video that is trending on social media, being paraded naked by members of the community.
A man who was filming the incident stated that the man and women had killed three persons, with the intention to use them for money rituals, before they were caught by villagers.
In the video being circulated, the corpses of the victims were lumped in a wheelbarrow, while the suspects were made to push them in turns.
But the State Police Command in a press release by its spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said the matter was a case of murder, and not connected with ritual killings.
Ikenga said the men of the command upon getting information of the public parade of the culprits, quickly moved it and rescued them, while the deceased have been deposited in a morgue, while the living among the victims are receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
He said: “To set the records straight, it is not a case of ritual killing, but a pure incident of murder. Preliminary information reveals that the two culprits, a man and a woman who were humiliated and paraded as shown in the video by the angry mob, were erroneously accused by the mob as they were seen at the scene where the murder took place.
“Also, both the suspect and victims are currently receiving treatment in the hospital. While the deceased has been deposited in a morgue.”
Ikenga quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng as calling for calm, while the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka for a comprehensive investigation.
