Policemen shoot, kill labourer trying to evade arrest after raid on hemp joint

A tragic scene played out at the Peace Avenue, off Iwofe Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, when a young man was shot and killed by policemen.

Reports say the incident happened after a raid on a hemp joint known as Calabar Quarters which saw the victim identified only as a labourer flee the scene on sighting the policemen.

A chase ensued thereafter with police catching up with the victim as they reportedly shot him in the head at close range.

Eyewitnesses say the policemen had recovered an unidentified sum of money and some wraps of weeds (Indian hemp) from the deceased after he was shot, before they fled the scene of the incident.

A witness who declined to be mentioned said the policemen and the man that was killed were always patronising an Indian hemp seller, who came into Calabar Quarters several years ago.

“The man that sells Indian hemp is living within this place, not far from here; he is a Rastafarian. The policemen that killed the man once served in this area. They also smoke Indian hemp when they come once in a while.

“Apart from that, they also get something (money) from him; it is either they (policemen) park their vehicle this side or the other side (pointing at two sides of the road). When the buyers see them, they are always on the run.

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“Any person that is caught has to bail himself immediately. It was when they saw this one (deceased) that he began to run. They (policemen) have served in Rumukpakani (Police Station) before. They said the man that was killed was into block moulding. This is jungle justice.

“The man was not living around this area and that was why he could not escape; how can anybody think that he can escape through this place? The other ones knew how to escape and jumped into the bush,” the witness said.

The incident was confirmed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, but he noted that those responsible for the death of the victim are yet to be identified.

“I am aware of the incident, but the problem is that we have not been able to verify those that killed the man; that is why we doubt if they are policemen. We have called the DPO of the station that was mentioned and he said that he never instructed any of his men to go to that area (Calabar Quarters).

“So, we are still trying to know those who carried out that operation because those who did it are not known to us,” Omoni added.

 

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