Anthony Iwuoma
Hell was let loose in Ebem-Ohafia yesterday as youths battled security operatives, following the killing of a resident, named Friday Arunsi.
Consequently, the protesting youths stormed the police station and released all detainees before torching the station, police vehicles and some courts in the neighbourhood.
This killing is the fourth in the state by security agents since the state-wide lockdown imposed by the government in a bid to stem further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reports have it that some drunk cops, two sergeants and one corporal, had gone to a drinking joint in Ebem Ohafia in the car belonging to one of them.
By the time they left the joint at about 11pm, they were reportedly heavily drunk and hit a vehicle belonging to Arunsi , a businessman who was offloading some wares at his shop.
Instead of apologising to the man, the drunk policemen were said to have harassed him, resulting in an argument during which the corporal shot the man dead.
Friday’s killing provoked the youths, who trooped out to the streets before raiding the police station where they burnt the DPO’s car; two police patrol vans and set all detainees in the cell free.
They also reportedly razed two courts in the area, before the the riot was quelled by a reinforcement of soldiers and operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).
The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon, deplored both the unlawful waste of life and the ensuing destruction wreaked on public property by the protesting youths.
“There is no way policemen who were not on duty, even if they were, will be involved in such heinous act and I will allow them to go scot-free.
“We are definitely going to charge them to court for murder without wasting.”
