The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested 10 suspects for allegedly setting ablaze the house of the Chairman of the Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state, Emmanuel Nwangele.

The suspects, it was gathered, also allegedly burnt Bosco Guest House, Abakaliki, owned by the chairman’s Special Assistant on Internally-Generated Revenue, Mr Okechukwu Oniybe.

A source said trouble started when Onyibe took men of a local security outfit, Ebubeagu, to Ebyia-Unphu community, in the Abakaliki area, to arrest a man suspected of committing an offence.

The suspect was allegedly beaten to death by the operatives on Monday.

Angry youths from the community reportedly mobilised and burnt down the residence of the council boss, as the youth also went to Hatchery Road, Abakaliki, and burnt Oniybe’s guesthouse.

It was gathered that while men of the Nigeria Police, Army and Ebubeagu, who were drafted to the scene to disperse the irate youths started shooting, the Pastor of Glorious Gospel Assembly, Mr Emeka Ogbonna, who was observing morning devotion in his flat, was hit by a stray bullet and died instantly.

The Assistant Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Levi Philip, in a statement on Wednesday, confirmed the arrest of the suspects.

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He said the command commiserated with the families of those who died during the mayhem, adding that justice would be done.

“About 10 of the irate youths who took part in the burning of the houses have been arrested and the SA to the Chairman, Okechukwu Onyibe (aka Bosco), is also in police custody. Investigation is ongoing to ascertain the main cause of the chaos,” the statement said.

He said the police command commiserated with the families of those who died during the mayhem, saying justice would be done.

“About 10 of the aired irate youths, who took part in the burning of the houses, have been arrested and the SA to the Chairman, Okechukwu Onyibe (aka Bosco), is also in police custody. Investigation is ongoing to ascertain the main cause of the chaos,” the statement said.