| 1996 Otokoto riots | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | September 24-25 | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | Child murder linked to ritualism | ||
| Methods | Rioting, arson, assault | ||
| Resulted in | Arrest and trial of Black Scorpion cult | ||
| Parties | |||
| |||
| Casualties | |||
| Death(s) | None | ||
| Injuries | Unknown | ||
| Arrested | Multiple, including 10 policemen | ||
The 1996 Otokoto Riots were a series of spontaneous protests and looting in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria over two days in September. The immediate trigger for the civil unrest was the revelation of the kidnapping and brutal murder of 11-year-old schoolboy boy Anthony Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, but had deeper roots in the corruption and inequality prevalent at the time.[1][2] The subsequent arrest of hotelier Vincent Duru and other members of the Black Scorpion gang led to a court trial lasting over a decade. Duru and other Black Scorpion members were eventually sentenced to death.[3]