Man Allegedly Brutalised by Anambra Officials in Viral Video

Reports indicate that a group claiming to be members of the Anambra State Anti-Touts Squad subjected an unidentified middle-aged man to severe beating, resulting in him falling into a coma due to reasons not yet disclosed.

A circulating video on social media captures the individuals, suspected to be anti-touting officials, using a short pestle to strike the man while interrogating him about unknown allegations.

The distressing footage reveals one of the Anti-Touts operatives, dressed in casual attire, repeatedly striking the victim with a short pestle on his legs and ankles as he desperately tries to defend himself.

As the victim pleads for a chance to explain his situation, his assailant continues the assault, while other colleagues record the incident.

During the ordeal, the victim, while being beaten, mentions that his wife is pregnant and expresses his desire to see his child before meeting his demise, to which the anti-tout operatives heartlessly retort that they intend to end his life without leniency.

The operatives are heard grilling the victim about an alleged fee supposedly collected by his brother at Niger Street, Onitsha, insinuating that the money was being diverted.

The video has sparked widespread outrage, with many questioning why the Anti-tout operatives opted for such cruel treatment instead of handing over the individual to the police for lawful investigation and potential prosecution.

The incident reportedly occurred in Onitsha, a bustling commercial city in Anambra State, where the victim, now in critical condition, was promptly taken to the hospital.

In response to inquiries, the spokesman for the state police command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that no formal complaint had been lodged regarding the alleged assault by the Anambra State Special Anti-touting Squad.

Ikenga mentioned, “I have no information regarding this matter or the individual in the video, and no such case has been reported to us.”

Efforts are underway to contact the individual at the center of the incident, according to Ikenga, who emphasized the ongoing nature of the situation.

Similarly, the Public Relations Officer of the Anambra Anti-Touts Squad, Nweke Nweke, indicated intentions to release an official statement regarding the matter soon.

Earlier reports had highlighted the inauguration of the State Anti-Touts Squad by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, in 2023 to combat the rising menace of touting in the region.