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LOCKDOWN: Confusion as Police explain why its operatives killed youth in Anambra

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There was confusion over the circumstances that led to the killing of a young man in Nkpor area of Anambra State on Wednesday, as the Anambra Police Command claimed its officers reacted to an “acid attack”.

A yet to be identified young man was allegedly shot dead by security operatives in Nkpor, Anambra State on Wednesday, while enforcing the lockdown order in the state.

His death was said to have enraged other youths in the area, who matched on a police post and attacked a police team and their vehicles.
However, the police in a statement after the incident, claim the attack by the youths came before the death of the young man.

The command said one of its officers attached to the patrol team, Cpl Christopher Ozor, sustained serious injuries all over his body after an unprovoked attack by a “group of miscreants” with a substance suspected to be acid.

In the statement released by the state police command spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, the police further claimed that the youths attempted to snatch the officer’s AK 47 rifle but were repelled with gunshots.

In the statement it entitled “Unprovoked attack on the police team while on routine patrol at New Tyres, Nkpor”, the state police claimed:

“Today 15/04/2020 at about 2pm, Police patrol team while on routine patrol to enforce the lockdown order around New Tyres by UBA, Nkpor in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State suddenly came under unprovoked attack by a group of miscreants with substance suspected to be acid.

“As a result, one Operative attached to the team Cpl Christopher Ozor sustained serious injuries all over his body following the attack while the hoodlums rushed his AK 47 rifle with 30 rounds of live ammunition in a bid to snatch it. The team swiftly repelled the hoodlums with gunshots and retrieved the AK 47rifle from them.

“Meanwhile, one of the attackers who was fatally wounded was prevented by the miscreants from being taken to the hospital but the injured policeman was rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

“Following the incident, Youths in their hundreds holding offensive weapons went on a rampage at Nkpor and New parts general area destroyed Police patrol vehicle with Registration number Veh 009 attached to Awada Division and other Government properties.

“Consequently, Police reinforcement comprising PMF, SARS, Special Anti-cult Unit and other Sister Agencies have been drafted to the area to restore normalcy while the investigation is still ongoing please.”

READ ALSO: Security agent kills another citizen as angry women protest COVID-19 lockdown in Delta

The incident in Anambra means that three Nigerians were killed on Wednesday, by security operatives enforcing lockdown occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic across the states of the federation. Aside Anambra, two other persons were reportedly killed in Delta and Abia states.

The development came after a report by the National Human Rights Commission released earlier on Wednesday, indicated that security officers had killed 18 Nigerians.

As at the time the report was released, the novel coronavirus had killed 11 Nigerians, indicating that more people had died as a result of extrajudicial killing within the period of the lockdown.

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