The Police have arrested and dismissed the Police officer who shot and killed a motorcyclist in Abakaliki the Ebonyi state capital.
The Okada rider, Mr. Ofim Ejike was shot along the popular Waterworks road in Abakaliki last night by a trigger happy police Sergeant, Onyebuchi Nweke attached to the Story kidnapping squad of the command.
Reacting to the incident, Police spokesman, Loveth Odah said the suspect who was tried yesterday in his Department, Anti-Kidnapping, AK, has been summarily dismissed from the force.
He stated that such dastardly would never be condoned by the police.
Mrs Odah said that the suspect would be charged to court tomorrow (Friday) to face charges bordering on murder.
“The incident that happened is indeed an unfortunate one; we are appealing for peace and order; there is no way the police command would condone such dastardly act; if I may tell you, the suspect, Sgt. Onyebuchi Nweke was tried yesterday at the department level and was summarily dismissed from the force. He will be charged to court tomorrow”
“We are the only force or institution that washes our dirty linen in public; what happened is indeed unfortunate; if any Okada rider was arrested or his bike confisticated following the incident, as soon as there is calm, they will be released and their bike returned to them. Every strategy is aimed at bringing peace to the state capital”.
“Even as senior officers of the Command went on patrol to quell the situation, they were stoned by the Okada riders; as I am talking to you now, a police officer who was hit by stone, is now on admission at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki”.
“He is presently battling between life and death; another officer with traffic was today beaten to stupor by the rampaging Okada riders”.
“We appeal for peace and order as no stone would be left unturned to ensure justice for the victim, Mr. Ofim Ejike whoresides at 32 Linus Ede Street, Convent Road, Abakaliki.”
Meanwhile, Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi is still boiling as Police on Thursday clashed with Commercial Motorcyclists popularly known as Okada riders who are protesting the killing of Mr Ofim While.
The motorcyclist was accosted by Police officers of the Anti Kidnapping squad, AK, of Ebonyi State Police Command at Anan world junction by water walks road.
A source who witnessed the incident said, the Okada rider in his 20s was carrying a female passenger when he was flagged down by the policemen, who are notorious for fleecing motorists of their hard earned money at night at the junction.
“When they stopped him, they demanded for their usual N50n but he gave them N20n and wanted to drive off when ọ we of them opened fire on him. The bullet shattered his head and he died instantly”, said the source.
The incident caused pandemonium along the road as residents along the adjourning streets gathered and attempted to lynch the officers. They also used tires to set burn fires on the road.
But the arrival of a new detachment of Police officers to the scene saved the day as they used teargas to dispel the crowd while also shooting sporadically into the air to scare them away.
It could not be immediately ascertertained if the female passenger of the slain Okada man was lso hit by the bullets of the policemen.
Following the incident, Governor David Umahi issued a statement calling for the arrest and prosecution of the Police officers involved in the shooting.
The motorcyclists, however, regrouped this morning and embarked on protest round the city causing traffic gridlock on major roads.
The Police also chased them and attempted to repel them with teargas but so far it has failed to stop them.
They always runaway when they are teargassed and regroup at another part of town to continue their protests. And yet again the police will chase them to the new location and the process will be repeated again.
The Police also arrested a few of them but this has not deterred them from continuing with the protests. As at the time of writing this report they were seen at the Abacha roundabout near the Abakpa main market driving towards water works junction through Nnamdi Azikiwe road.
Meanwhile, Umahi who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor last night described the incident as barbaric and calous and expressed confidence that justice will be done in the killing of the deceased.
He said the incident has further called for more dedication, commitment and professional training for the country’s security personnel to stop further killings of innocent Nigerians on the line of their duties.
The governor also assured that he would take up the matter to the Inspector General of Police to ensure that the trigger happy policeman who shot and killed the boy is punished inline with the rule of his engagement.
Umahi warned that his administration will not tolerate any form of killing of innocent citizens or extra judicial killing by the security agencies and ordered the Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Titus Lamorde to arrest the trigger happy policeman who shot the decaesed and other members of the team to face full weight of the law.
While expressing his sincere condolences to the family of the deceased, Governor Umahi promised to visit the family when full information concerning his family is made available.
He called on the public to remain calm as the situation was already under control and never to resort to taking laws into their hands.
Source:The Nation
