Anambra: Police Public Murder, God Saves Station in Mob’s Hands*It’s a Normal Thing …DPO

FROM OUR CRIME DESK (AWKA)

God in His infinite mercies, yesterday, 04/09/2024) saved the Okpoko Police Division, Anambra State Police Command from being raised to ashes by an angry mob over the murder of a young man only identified as Ebuka who was shot dead within the ever-busy Onitsha/Owerri Road axis in the commercial hub of Onitsha, by the policeman attached to the notorious Okpoko Police station.

The accused trigger-happy police corporal, it was gathered, allegedly opened fire at a coming Lexus model car after flagging down the driver who was negotiating to park out of the road but suspecting that the driver of the utility car was about to beat the checkpoint, the police corporal was said to have opened fire at the car, resulting to the killing of the innocent road user.

An eyewitness account under the condition of anonymity said late Ebuka from Delta State was accompanying one of his friends, Nonso, who hails from Enugu State, for an errand to Old Motor Spare Parts Market, Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area, before they met the accused bloodsucking police team.
Narrating his ugly ordeal to this news website, Nonso said he was the one who drove the Lexus model car, noting that he was the one who pleaded with the late Ebuka to join him for an errand before they met the police-accused death agent.

“What happened was that I and my friend, Ebuka left Asaba for an errand, as we were heading towards Mguka Obosi, behold a police checkpoint alone Onitsha -Owerri expressway, a policeman flagged me down as the driver, as I was negotiating to park off the road,  I heard the sound of a gun. When I viewed my center mirror, I discovered that my back windscreen was broken by the bullet.

As I parked, aimed at meeting the policemen to find out why they shut at my car, I saw my friend, who was sitting in the passenger’s seat, already soaked with blood; I also noticed that I had sustained a bullet wound on my hand. Immediately, I rushed to Toronto Hospital at the Upper Iweka but the medical practitioners on duty confirmed that Ebuka was dead.

“It was in Toronto Hospital that a man who identified himself as CSP Ewelu Owai, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO Okpoko station met me, him and the Police Patrol members that killed my friend took the remains of my friend and deposited same to General Hospital, Onitsha mortuary. 

Reacting when contacted in his GSM line, the DPO, Okpoko Police Division, CSP Ewelu Owai Okpoko, described the police none non–non–professional act as a normal thing that used to happen.

 “Thank you, my brother, for calling; what happened today was a normal thing that used to happen. My men were on Stop and Search when they flagged down a certain car; the driver refused to stop, and one of my men shot at the car, resulting in the death of one of the occupants of the car. The family of the deceased later met with me in my office and they promised to come tomorrow (today). The policeman who shot the young man was arrested and he is currently in detention”. The DPO Csp Ewelu Owai concluded.

Reacting, the State Police Commissioner, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam through the State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said he has directed the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, Ikenga affirmed that the CP had sued for calm and assures that the Command will ensure a thorough investigation into the case for justice to prevail.