A protest has erupted in the Omagwa community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, following the extra-judicial killing of a youth by a police officer.
The incident occurred when the policeman, attached to the Omagwa Division of the Rivers State Police Command, shot and killed Chikuma Egbule, a native of the community. This sparked instant protests within the community, which is also a host community for the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The protesters initially carried the body of the slain youth to the Omagwa Divisional Police station, intending to deposit it there. However, they were resisted and repelled by the policemen on duty. As a result, they blocked the road in protest, causing a gridlock on the busy highway leading to the airport and Owerri in Imo state.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that the trigger-happy police officer had been arrested. She further mentioned that the body of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue.
“The command is aware, and the CP is on top of the situation. Normalcy has now been restored, and adequate security is present on the ground to prevent any breach of peace,” she said in a WhatsApp message.
“The corpse has been deposited at the morgue, and the police officers have been detained while an investigation is ongoing.”
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