COVID-19:Police kills fill station staff in Abia

An inspector of police identified as Stanley Azu, serving under Azumini Police Division in Ukwa East LGA of Abia State has reportedly killed a petrol station staff in Obingwa LGA. 

The incident happened along popular New Umuahia road as the State observes the total shutdown order of the Abia State government.

Inspector Stanley was said to have tried stopping a vehicle that violated the lockdown order, but the driver of the car refused stopping. 

Sources in the area said that the police inspector apparently angered that the driver of the car refused to stop after he was flagged down, chased after him and when the driver was already escaping, he reportedly fired at the driver. 

The bullet strayed and hit Chibuisi who was in his business center.

Chibuisi was said to have been pronounced dead at Abia State Teaching Hospital where he was rushed to for urgent medical attention. 

Chibuisi who until his death was a staff of Greenmac Energy Ltd, a Petroleum Station Company that is owned by his in-law. 

Speaking on the development, Abia State Police Commissioner, Ene Okon confirmed the arrest of the officer and said that the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has taken over the matter.

Okon said that the police as an institution does not take such action of the inspector lightly. “That police inspector was arrested immediately and detained. As I’m talking to you, SCID has taken over the matter and are investigating the police inspector for murder.

“We have our rules of engagement, we have our standard of operation and procedure and we have our own Force Order 237 as reviewed. That order has to do with when a police officer has to use his firearm and it’ll be justified,” Okon said.

Speaking further Okon said, “It’s not an excuse for you to say accidental discharge. A trained officer on such assignment should put his riffle on safety. The riffle has safety and ones you put it there, it’ll not just release. 

“So, it’s not an excuse that he mistakenly touched the trigger. That’s why we detained him and are seriously investigating the whole matter.”

Sources said the deceased came out for work as usual as their line of business was among those classified to be rendering essential services who were not restricted by the lockdown order.

Residents who spoke to our reporter called on Abia State Government to ensure that the trigger happy officer does not go unpunished as his recklessness have caused the family of the deceased serious pain in such a trial period.

Mr. Kenneth Enwereuzor said that the victim was killed because the officer does not value human life as there are other means of catching an offender without shooting at him.

“The Governor should step things up before they’ll sweep this under the carpet. Even if he had shot and killed the person inside the vehicle he was chasing will it be justified? 

“Some of these policemen need to be taken for proper psychiatric test because I don’t understand why someone will shoot a fellow human being without any suspicion of him being armed of committing any heinous crime,” he said.

James Okoro, another residents said, “This is not the first time they’re law enforcement agents will do this type of thing. Last year, a soldier shot and killed a motorcyclist in Umuokereke Ngwa simply because he refused to give him money. 

“They said they’ve taken him to court and up till today, we don’t know if he has been convicted or not. May be he has been convicted, but they need to have told us what happened and use it as example to some remaining crazy armed officers.

“Now, a police officer has killed and innocent young man because he was chasing another person who refused to stay at home. What’s really wrong with people here. He must not go unpunished. Abia State government should do something serious about it.”