Tragedy struck in Imo State on Saturday as policemen on a stop-and-search duty on Owerri/ Orlu expressway allegedly killed, Nude Oguzie, who was on his way to Owerri for a wedding reception.

An eyewitness told our correspondent in Owerri on Sunday, that the cops fled immediately they realised that they had killed the native of Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State.

According to the eyewitness, the victim was driving in his Toyota Camry when one of the trigger-happy cops shot him for allegedly refusing to stop.

Passers-by took Oguzie to the Federal Medical Center in Owerri, where he was pronounced dead.

When contacted, the Police Spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the incident.

Ikeokwu said the three trigger-happy officers had been identified, arrested, and kept in custody.

He said,

“The Imo State Police Command has condemned the killing of one Jude Oguzie by operatives attached to the Command, on December 5, along the Njaba/Owerri Road.

“The Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede, wondered why the officers refused to adhere to rules guiding the use of firearms.

“He, therefore, ordered an investigation into the matter, with a view to unravelling the cause of the incident. The officers involved have however been identified, arrested, and are presently in custody.

“The CP while sympathising with the family of the deceased, urged them to remain calm, as the Command will do everything possible to ensure that justice is done.

“The Command regrets the killing of the deceased under any guise especially now that the force is doing everything within its powers to put an end to incidents of brutality and incivility to members of the public.”

Initial reports had suggested the deceased who was driving a car with an NBA sticker was a lawyer. But Chinedu Agu, Secretary to NBA Owerri chapter, said the deceased was not a Lawyer.

According to the statement, the deceased was driving along Umuaka/Orodo road but was shot dead by Policemen of the Stop and Search Squad.

“On realising that they have shot the deceased, the Police took flight, abandoning the deceased in the pool of his own blood inside his Car.”

“The deceased, a native of Amucha in Njaba, L.G.A., Imo State, left home (Amucha) this morning en route Owerri for a wedding before he met his untimely death in the hands of trigger-happy Policemen this morning.”

“As at the time of typing this report, the deceased, whose family members believed was still alive, still lay in his car unattended by the hospital staff.”

“It took some angry agitation by youths and sympathisers who came thirty minutes after my arrival for the bulky man to be stretchered into the Emergency Ward from his blood-drenched Car.”

” I can confidently confirm to you that the deceased was not a Lawyer, though had NBA Sticker on his front and rear Car Windshields.”

” While the tardy, laissez-faire, callous attitude of the hospital Staff in the Accident/Emergency Ward of FMC Owerri is condemnable, I humbly call on the Human Rights Committee of the NBA Owerri to rise up to the occasion in ensuring that the culprits of this heinous act are unearthed and brought to book.”

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