Imo community boils as police kill man, 23

By Our reporter

There is palpable tension in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo state following the killing of a 23 -year -old man by a police officer which led angry youth in the area to sack a police station by setting it ablaze and freeing all the detainees.

The deceased, simply known as Ikenna was said to have been gunned down by the police at Las Virgin Hotel, Umuokeh Obowo.

According to eyewitnesses who spoke exclusively to Daily Times, fracas started at the hotel a few minutes to 1pm on Monday, between some boys who had issues among themselves, but the intervention of a police man who was called to settle the matter led to the police man shooting sporadically with the intention of scaring the warring factions when a stray bullet accidentally hit the man on the chest.

Although, he was rushed to the hospital immediately, the man died before he could be attended to by doctors.

After the shooting and seeing what has happened, the policeman who shot the boy immediately took to his heels, but the villagers took the corpse of the boy to the police station and demanded for the killer officer.

Tempers flared later when they could not find the officer, leading to more angry villagers converging on the station, thereby, forcing the policemen on duty to flee and leaving the mob to set the station ablaze after freeing inmates in police custody.

They also ransacked and looted the station, taking away valuables, including guns, motorcycles, electrical equipment, car batteries and cars.

As at the time of this report, the corpse of the man, Ikenna, was lying at the police station.