Rivers community barricades airport road over killing of kinsman
Residents of Omagwa community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday barricaded the busy Omagwa road leading to the Port Harcourt International Airport over the killing of their kinsman by a police officer attached to the Omagwa Divisional Police Command. Eyewitness told Daily Trust that policemen from the division invaded the community […]
Residents of Omagwa community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday barricaded the busy Omagwa road leading to the Port Harcourt International Airport over the killing of their kinsman by a police officer attached to the Omagwa Divisional Police Command.
Eyewitness told Daily Trust that policemen from the division invaded the community in the early hours of Sunday and one of the policemen shot one Bright Chikuma Egbule, a resident of Omagwa.
Following the incident, angry residents took the remains of the deceased to the police station and thereafter barricaded the airport road leading to Port Harcourt International Airport thereby making vehicular movement difficult.
“Policemen from Omagwa divisional police station had invaded the deceased’s house in the early hours of Sunday and shot him dead. No explanation was given for the killing of the innocent man. Following that incident, the community rose in protest, firstly taking the corpse to the police station where it was reported that the police opened fire on the harmless protesters.
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“We fear the protest may escalate if nothing is done to address the matter and bring the rogue policemen to justice. This is a very unfortunate incident. In recent times, my Omagwa people have been victims of harassment from security agencies.
“Today’s incident brings to the fore the harassment my people are suffering in the hands of security personnel who are supposed to protect them but have now turned around to become their tormentors.
Spokesperson of Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the command is aware of the incident.
Koko said the Commissioner of Police is on top of the situation and pointed out that normalcy has now been restored, adding that there is adequate security on ground to prevent any breach of peace.