Rivers community protests as police kill father of three

Hundreds of youths from Omagwa Community in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday blocked the Omagwa session of the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road to protest the alleged killing of a father of six identified as Bright Egbule by a policeman.

Egbule was allegedly shot dead by an officer from Omagwa Police Division on Saturday in his compound.

PUNCH Metro gathered on Sunday that the angry youths were heading to the Images Police Station with Egbule’s corpse when the Chairman of Ikwerre LGA, Israel Agbosi, met them halfway and promised to ensure the officers responsible for the killing were identified and made to face the law.

A family source told PUNCH Metro that the deceased was at home with his wife on Saturday night when the policemen stormed the compound, with one of the trigger-happy operatives allegedly opening fire on him.

The source who pleaded anonymity said, “The officers came here last night with full force. They said they were looking for a drug dealer, but they came into the compound here and killed an innocent man.

“It was on that note that the community youths mobilised and blocked the federal road with the corpse. We want the police to provide those officers who killed Chukwuma. All we need is justice for Chukwuma.”

The protest however caused gridlock on the road with the motorists and travellers stranded until the intervention of the LGA chairman.

Addressing the protesters, Abosi described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable and appealed to the angry youths not to take the law into their own hands.

Abosi however called on the Commissioner of Police to investigate the killing and ensure that the officers were fished out and made to face justice.

When contacted, the state police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying the policeman had been arrested.

While commiserating with the family of the deceased, she said his remains had been deposited in a morgue.

Iringe-Koko stated, “The command is aware and we are on top of the situation. The officer has been detained. Normalcy has now been restored, and adequate security is on the ground to prevent any breach of peace.

“The man’s corpse has been deposited at the morgue and the investigation is ongoing.