Daily Post Nigeria
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A non-governmental organisation, Anambra State Civil Society Network (ACSONET) has called for justice for the okada rider killed on Tuesday night by a policeman for protesting the impounding of his motorcycle.
The group tasked the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano and the State commissioner of police, CP John Abang to ensure that the slain motorcyclist got justice.
It condemned the action of the policeman and described the shooting of the okada rider as unjustifiable.
An unidentified policeman had on Tuesday at Igbo-Ukwu killed one Okada rider who joined his colleagues to protest the impounding of their motorcycles for violating the ban on movement of motorcycles after 9pm.
An eyewitness has denied that the shooting of a commercial motorcycle operator by a policeman on Tuesday night in Igboukwu, Aguata LGA of Anambra State was an accidental discharge.
The state police command’s spokesperson, SP Haruna Mohammed while confirming the killing of the motorcyclist and the burning of Igboukwu police station had said the killing was as a result of accidental discharge following an altercation.
But a commercial motorcycle operator who gave his name as Sylvanus and who claimed to be an eyewitness said the policeman aimed at the motorcyclist and fired at him after threatening to waste him.
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has condemned the unfortunate killing of a motorcycle operator allegedly by the police at Igboukwu in Aguata Local Government Area of the state, calling for calm.
The incident in the area had sparked anger leading to the burning down of Igboukwu Police Station completely.
Obiano, who spoke on the State Broadcasting Television on Thursday, said that the burning down of police stations, vehicles, and destruction of property cannot solve the problem.
He disclosed that the policeman responsible for the shooting at Igboukwu has been taken into custody, stressing that the state government would assist the family of the deceased by providing them with necessary emotional and financial support.
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Tony Okafor, Awka
An irate mob, on Wednesday, set three police stations ablaze at Igboukwu, Ekwulobia and Oko in the Aguata and Orumba North local government areas of Anambra State.
An eyewitness, who gave his name simply as Goddy, said the Igboukwu Police Station was set ablaze around 8am.
He said trouble began when some policemen on duty in the area killed a commercial motorcyclist on Tuesday while trying to extort him.
Goddy stated, “As I’m talking to you, the place is up in flame. The mob, made up of commercial motorcycle operators, is moving to the Ekwulobia Police Station to also set it ablaze.
According to the spokesman for the Anambra state police command, SP Haruna Mohammed, the situation degenerated into a chaos which led to an accidental discharge that hit one motorcycle rider and burning down of Igboukwu police station by irate youth.
Meanwhile he said the state Commissioner for police, CP John Abang has appealed for calm and ordered for detention of police men involved.
According to him, the CP has ordered for full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and he assured the public that “justice would be done in the case and the outcome of Police investigation shall be made public in due course.”