Police Kill 21-Year-Old Undergraduate
The police have been accused for the death of a 21-year-old undergraduate of Imo State Polytechnic in Ohaji-Egbema local government area of Abia state.
The deceased, Ikechukwu Uwagbaokwu, according to family source was allegedly killed by the operatives of the Abia State Police Command.
According to vanguard, the Uwagbokwu family said that their son was murdered because of a land tussle they have with Ndukwe and Uwaga families.
The deceased family further alleged that the other families in the land dispute connived with the police to frame their son.
It was learnt that land disputes amongst the families get messier prompting the community’s traditional peace maker, Ibeku Okonko Arbitration Panel to invite the families for peaceful dissolution of the crisis.
The panel had fixed a date for hearing on the case but had to reschedule following the death of one of the families witness.
Barely five days to the rescheduled date, Ikechukwu was murdered and his family is accusing the other families for the death of their son. The family in their petition to the Abia state commissioner of police said they suspected one of the rival families for their son death stating that the said family had earlier accused them for the demise of their family member.
The family petition read in part: “On the 10th of September, 2015, Mr. Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, a Marketing Student of Imo Polytechnic went to bed at about 9.00pm but at about 10.50pm there was persistent banging on the door of the family house of the Uwagbaokwu.
“When Mr. Anthony Uwagbaokwe (elder brother of deceased) came out to see who was banging on their door, lo and behold, there were about ten fierce men in Police uniform who had taken strategic positions in the surroundings of the house. “One of the men in uniform, who came with Hilux pick up van and black Camry Saloon Car, hit the door of one of the occupants of the house and forced it open. When the occupant came out, the men in police uniform, who refused to identify themselves, said that he was not the person that they were looking for.
“The Police went to the direction pointed to by those who allegedly brought them. The armed policemen forced the next wooden door open and on sighting Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, one of the policemen allegedly shot him and he died immediately. “Our clients raised alarm but nobody came to their rescue. The matter was reported to Ehimiri Police Station in whose jurisdiction this area falls, where the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) gave them order to deposit the deceased at Madonna Mortuary in Umuahia.”
Reacting to the incident, the state commissioner of police, Joshak Habila said that he cannot deny or confirm the receipt of the deceased family’s petition but asked the family and their lawyer to see in office if they have such allegation against the police promising that the matter will be thoroughly investigated as his command will not cover or protect any police man involved in extra-judicial killing.
The deceased, Ikechukwu Uwagbaokwu, according to family source was allegedly killed by the operatives of the Abia State Police Command.
According to vanguard, the Uwagbokwu family said that their son was murdered because of a land tussle they have with Ndukwe and Uwaga families.
The deceased family further alleged that the other families in the land dispute connived with the police to frame their son.
It was learnt that land disputes amongst the families get messier prompting the community’s traditional peace maker, Ibeku Okonko Arbitration Panel to invite the families for peaceful dissolution of the crisis.
The panel had fixed a date for hearing on the case but had to reschedule following the death of one of the families witness.
Barely five days to the rescheduled date, Ikechukwu was murdered and his family is accusing the other families for the death of their son. The family in their petition to the Abia state commissioner of police said they suspected one of the rival families for their son death stating that the said family had earlier accused them for the demise of their family member.
The family petition read in part: “On the 10th of September, 2015, Mr. Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, a Marketing Student of Imo Polytechnic went to bed at about 9.00pm but at about 10.50pm there was persistent banging on the door of the family house of the Uwagbaokwu.
“When Mr. Anthony Uwagbaokwe (elder brother of deceased) came out to see who was banging on their door, lo and behold, there were about ten fierce men in Police uniform who had taken strategic positions in the surroundings of the house. “One of the men in uniform, who came with Hilux pick up van and black Camry Saloon Car, hit the door of one of the occupants of the house and forced it open. When the occupant came out, the men in police uniform, who refused to identify themselves, said that he was not the person that they were looking for.
“The Police went to the direction pointed to by those who allegedly brought them. The armed policemen forced the next wooden door open and on sighting Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, one of the policemen allegedly shot him and he died immediately. “Our clients raised alarm but nobody came to their rescue. The matter was reported to Ehimiri Police Station in whose jurisdiction this area falls, where the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) gave them order to deposit the deceased at Madonna Mortuary in Umuahia.”
Reacting to the incident, the state commissioner of police, Joshak Habila said that he cannot deny or confirm the receipt of the deceased family’s petition but asked the family and their lawyer to see in office if they have such allegation against the police promising that the matter will be thoroughly investigated as his command will not cover or protect any police man involved in extra-judicial killing.
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