The Mamobi branch of popular restaurant chain, Marwako, has been attacked by an angry mob.
The attack took place at about 9 pm Saturday after the restaurant had hid a policeman, who was being sought by an angry mob for allegedly shooting a taxi driver to death.
According to one eye witness, the mob of about 30 people on the scene of the incident immediately attacked the policeman upon hearing what had happened.
The policeman was later rescued by some residents who placed him inside the restaurant.
The angry mob besieged the restaurant demanding action against the policeman.
The youthful mob broke the glass frame of the front view of the restaurant, looted the restaurant, and threatened anybody who dared to intervene.
Another eye witness who identified himself as Zubairu said the attack started because the taxi driver was presumed to be a resident of the community.
Zubairi said: “They started beating the policeman right from the top until they got to the restaurant, when some residents felt they should protect the policeman by placing him inside Marwako. That is all.
“They said since Marwako has protected the policeman till he was rescued, then they all started attacking Marwako, beating people and all this boys most of them are not from this community because I know a lot of them.”
According to him, after the police had dispersed the angry youth by firing warning shots into the air, they came back – now numbering about 100 – after the police had left and attacked the restaurant again.
This this, time they burnt down the restaurant’s delivery van and vandalised all equipment they could find, he said.
The attacks spanned at least an hour until the police arrived for the second time, he added.
Zubairi explained that the police made a mistake by firing warning shots and leaving.
He said unknown to the police, the youth were hiding in the corners, so immediately the police left, they returned to continue the attack.
According to one police man, stones were thrown at them by the rampaging mob, so they had to go back for reinforcement. He said when returned, teargas was fired into the mob to disperse the angry youth again.
Suspects are yet to be arrested.