A police station in Ebem, Ohafia, Abia State, has been set on fire by angry youths of the community over the killing of one of the residents by a police constable attached to the division. The youth damaged all the vehicles in the division while setting free, suspects detained in various cells at the station. 

It was revealed that a police officer who was under the influence of alcohol killed a resident of the community identified as Ifeanyi Arunsi, on Friday, April 17th, 2020, following a disagreement over minor traffic issue. The killing of Ifeanyi thereafter sparked unprecedented violent reaction from the community who trooped out enmass and sacked the police divisional headquarters in the town.

Responding to the melee, the Abia State police command has issued a press statement appealing to the community while explaining what led to the incident. 

The statement reads “The Nigeria Police Abia State Command has received with nostalgia the shooting incident in Ebem Ohafia by a Policeman which consumed the life of an innocent young man identified as Ifeanyi Arunsi on Friday 17th April,2020 night.

"The Policemen led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police who were neither on duty nor on COVID 19 preventive assignment, went out in a private car belonging to one of them to a drinking joint where they got drunk and while going back home, the driver hit a truck off-loading goods.

"In an ensuing argument between the Policemen and the people off-loading goods, one of the Policemen, a Constable disappeared from the scene and resurfaced with a Police rifle and started shooting sporadically under the influence of alcohol during which, bullet hit the victim on the buttocks.

"This singular act and others of same nature is regrettable, condemnable and not tolerated by both the Nigeria Police Force and its Abia State Command.

"The Commissioner of Police Abia State, CP E. Ene Okon commiserates with the immediate and extended families of the deceased as well as the entire Ohafia people.

"It is the Commissioner of Police’ sordid appeal to the youths and people of Ebem Ohafia to eschew violence and destruction of Police/government property while assuring that justice must be done.

"Meanwhile the erring Policemen have been arrested for investigation and eventual prosecution while the corpse of the deceased has been deposited in a yet to be disclosed morgue by members of his family for preservation.

"Further developments will be made public while the investigation lasts.  

It is pertinent to note that police killing of unarmed residents in the southeast since the COVID-19 lockdown enforcement is now on the increase. The may largely be due to lack of discipline and management of personnel by the leadership of the force in this region. It is therefore advised, that the Inspector General of Police to get. the CP’s to pay serious attention on discipline and accountability of the officers in their command.