A 21-year-old man known as Chukwubuike Onuoha, was shot dead by a police sergeant recognized as Collins Akpugo. The event occurred in the community of Okwulagha Afara Ukwu, Umuahia, State of Abia.
Mr. Akpugo is said to be a member of the Nigeria Police Force’s Special Protection Unit (SPU), Abia State Command.
We found out that the incident took place on Monday night while the deceased was standing with other people, including his brother, in front of his father’s compound.
Talking about how the murder took place, witnesses said Mr Onuoha was shot after complaining about how the police officer flashed the light on them from his Toyota Hilux van.
The policeman who was believed to be drunk alighted from his car and shot Mr Onuoha on the shoulder rather than dim the light.
Information from eyewitnesses disclosed that attempts by other people around including the brother of the deceased to challenge the police officer failed as he threatened them with his weapon. He shot the deceased later, lying on the ground, on his chest, leaving his car and ran away.
One of the witnesses who spoke late Tuesday night, Okiroro Stephen, said: “He was drunk when he (police) performed the act. The youth just told him to dim his full light. Rather than dimming the full light, he wasted Chukwubuike’s life and ran away.
Angry at the action of the police officer, residents immediately set fire to his vehicle.
We also learned that the area’s inhabitants stormed significant highways in the capital of Abia on Tuesday to protest their colleague’s murder.
Speaking to reporters during the protest, community leader Ngozi Ogbonna said: “We know Collins very well, he’s a tenant in our society. He (the policeman) murdered our son for no reason. He was verified dead this morning (Tuesday) at the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia.
“We went to complain to the government ; we are also going to the police command to express our grievances to them. In this matter, we only want justice,” she was quoted.
Confirming the incident, the spokesman for the state police, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the police commissioner, Okon Enen, ordered the investigation of the case and also sent some delegates to the deceased family to commiserate with them.
While condemning the incessant killing of innocent people, police inspector-general Mohammed Adamu said extrajudicial killing is unacceptable.
“… Besides disputing our professional calling, extrajudicial acts of any description or level by any police personnel are an unacceptable anomaly that creates disdain between citizens and their police and widen the gap of trust between them,” he said.
He advised that any police staff who abuse their powers or misuse guns in utter disregard of statutory regulations would be arrested.
“The individual will be reviewed through our inner disciplinary machinery and will be dismissed from service if found guilty. In addition, such staff will be prosecuted to court for murder or sundry offenses based on their level of criminal liability in the example.”
“In addition, such officer’s line supervisors, including the Area Commander, Divisional Police Officer or Sectional Head, will be held vicariously responsible for lack of oversight and will be likewise sanctioned,” the police chief said.
