Youths from Enugwu-Ukwu numbering hundreds today blocked the Enugwu Ukwu axis of the Old Enugu Onitsha road in protest over the alleged killing of a young man in the community, Wednesday night by the Police.
The deceased, Mr Anthony Okafor we gathered, was a barber apprentice, an only son from Adagbe Avomimi village of Enugwu Ugwu, who was heading home from work around a few minutes past 8.
A policeman from Nimo Police Division, identified as Okeke who is a terror in the area, had chased him until he was knocked down by a moving vehicle
The said Policeman, it was gathered, was enforcing the 8pm to 6am curfew initiated by the Federal Government to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
As at noon when TNC visited the area, it was gathered that there are plans by youths of the area, to attack Nimo Divisional Police Station to avenge the death.
The road leading to the Police station was also blocked as the youths had set fire on tyres at virtually every junction along the road.
Although our reporter could not gain access to the said Police station, it was gathered that Policemen had mobilized since last night, to ward off any form of attack from the youths.
A resident from the area who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he was there when it all started unfolding, corroborating the story that the young was knocked down while in flight from the police.
“Police team was there too, firing shots into the air to scare the youths away but they remained adamant and the police hurried away. When I left the place, the youths were gathering used tyres,” he narrated.
A Public Policy Expert in the area, Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia said it is worrisome that in Anambra, 3 persons have already been killed by the Police in the enforcement of restrictions on COVID-19, a disease that has not killed a single person in the state.
“It is very unfortunate that we are talking about yet another death caused by the Police enforcing a civil order. Police ought to be protecting lives but here, they are the ones killing people. It is worrisome to me because, if the society does not rise to challenge this ugly trend, it may get to the point where the whole place will be littered with dead bodies as a result of Police excesses. This is seriously worrisome,” Onyia lamented.
When contacted, the Anambra Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed confirmed the incident, but said the victim that died in the incident was an old man.
He said the situation had been brought under control by police operatives who were immediately mobilized to the scene.
“It was a fatal accident involving an elderly man. The youths had gone on a rampage, mistaking the deceased for one of them being pursued by the police.
“The elders of the community have been invited to a meeting with the police to resolve the situation,” Mohammed revealed.
