Protest erupts as policeman kills Rivers youth

From Tony John, Port Harcourt

There was tension in Omagwa community following the shooting and killing of a youth by a policeman attached to Omagwa Police Station in Rivers State.

Daily Sun gathered that policemen from Omagwa Division, had visited an area in Omagwa community in the morning and that one of the operatives shot dead, Bright Chikwuma Egbule.

Though it could not be ascertained why the police visited the area and the killing of the deceased at the  time of filing the report,  the development angered the  youths; men and women who trooped out in protest to demand justice for the victim.

The protesters carried the remains of the victim to the police Station causing  serious  pandemonium .

The protesters on return from the police station blocked  the Owerri-Port Harcourt road with the same corpse, stopping all vehicles and human movement on the road.

A community source identified as Clinton, said the community has been facing harassment and intimidation from security operatives.

He said: “Some months ago, the Department  of State Service (DSS),on the orders of a certain man came in the dead of the night, shot sporadically and went away an innocent young man. They locked him incommunicado for one month without access to either his family or lawyer

“Last week, the same DSS returned in the dead of the night, harassed the family of Felix Anonya ( aka Muchacha), brutalised his wife and kids, and forcefully took him away while he was naked.

“The DSS we were informed took with them important family documents, raising concerns that they are working for an interested person seeking to cow the entire community into submission

“Today’s incident brings to the fore the harassment my people are suffering in the hands of security personnel, who are supposed to protect them, but have now turned around to become their tormentors

“It is important to state that all of the persons involved are innocent people who do not have antecedents of criminality.”

However, Rivers  State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) SP  Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the killing of Egbule, adding that the officer involved has been detained.

She said:”The Command is aware and the Commissioner of police is on top of the situation. Normalcy has now been restored, and adequate security is present on the ground to prevent any breach of peace.

“One officer, the person that shot has been arrested. And the command consoles with the family members that justice must be served.

“The corpse has been deposited at the morgue, while the police officers has been detained while investigation is  ongoing “.