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From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
Senator representing Abia South in the National Assembly, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has described the alleged killing of an Aba businessman, Emmanuel Okocha, by police operatives, as primitive and most conscionable.
Abaribe called for a panel of inquiry to investigate the killing and other complaints in the commercial city.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, the Senator urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to rein in the officers involved in the incident and ensure that similar incidents do occur again in Abia.
“The gruesome cold blooded murder of Mr Okocha by the trigger happy policeman on an alleged refusal to give them money, is not only disgraceful, it is a serious blight on the image of the Nigeria Police, one of one that is unacceptable and stands condemned by all.”
He appealed for calm while reminding the authorities that the “sad development represents the low side of the proliferation of checkpoints in the Southeast geopolitical zone, such that it looks as if they are ‘buying and selling points’, rather than for security purposes.”
Also, the Abiriba community in Ohafia Local Government Area, Abia State, is mourning over the gruesome murder of one of its emergent industrialists, by a trigger-happy police team in Aba.
The victim, Emmanuel Okocha, son of late international merchant and industrialist, Chief Michael Okocha (popularly known during his lifetime as NOKO), was said to have been shot at a close range along the busy Aba-Owerri Road, by a member of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), who mounted a stop-and-search operation, for refusing to give them money.
Their people across the country and beyond have expressed sadness. The community has, as a matter of urgency, appealed to Governor Alex Otti to wade into the matter, to ensure that the culprits, identified as members of the RRS attached to the Abayi/World Bank Housing Estate, Osisioma Division, are fished out and brought to book.
In a meeting, last Saturday, the Aba branch of Abiriba Community Improvement Union (ACIU), headed by Chief Kingsley Eke Ogbuewu, vowed to pursue the matter to a fruitful end. The group, however, called on its citizens to avoid taking the law into their hands by trying to retaliate, despite the painful loss of their son. It also called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure that no stone is left unturned in investigating the matter and apprehending and charging those involved to a competent court, to answer for their heinous act.
Daily Sun, gathered that after handing over his vehicle documents and driver’s licence to the police operatives who pursued them and saw that they were in order, they had allegedly demanded that he give them money to which he declined.
A witness said to be in the car with the victim at the time said he (Emmanuel) had told the policemen that he was not going to give them money and tried to drive off, when one of them in front of the car, shot him. The team immediately entered their Toyota Sienna vehicle and sped away when they noticed that the bullet had caught him.
Emmanuel, who was returning from a trip to his hometown, Abiriba, was later rushed to Rhema University Teaching Hospital, within the area, where he reportedly died after two days, despite having surgeries in attempts to remove bullets deposited in his body.
Daily Sun gathered that the state police command has detained and begun an orderly room trial of one Corporal Obagi Njoku, a member of the team, over his alleged involvement in the shooting.
