Police rescue man from lynching after he was found carrying son’s corpse in carton

A man, reportedly from Anambra State, was rescued by the police on Wednesday after being nearly lynched by a mob in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The man was found carrying a carton containing the lifeless body of his son.

The incident occurred at the Itam Timber Market, where traders became suspicious when they saw the man walking toward the market’s waste disposal area with the carton on his head. As he approached the area, traders grew concerned and alerted others, prompting a confrontation.

An eyewitness, who spoke anonymously, recounted the events: “Some angry market men held the man, brought down the carton on his head, and discovered it contained the lifeless body of a child (a boy), naked but neatly wrapped in torn clothes.”

As the mob confronted the man, accusing him of being a ritualist, a video of the incident showed him struggling with those who detained him. The situation escalated as they forced him to remove the corpse from the carton before the police arrived to intervene and rescue him.

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Responding to the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer for Akwa Ibom, Timfon John, issued a statement clarifying the circumstances. According to the police, investigation revealed that the man did not kill his son. “What happened is that a father of three boys was intercepted by the Police at Itam with a dead boy and two living boys,” John explained.

She continued, “Upon investigation, the man told the police that all three boys are his, and that in his tradition, deceased males are not buried outside their community. He was taking the dead son to his village in Anambra State to be buried. The police have since deposited the body in the morgue, and investigations are ongoing. Please note that the said man didn’t kill the boy.”

The case is still under investigation, but authorities have reassured the public that no foul play was involved. The police are continuing to probe the situation to ensure all facts are properly established.

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