From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
An Umuahia, Abia State-based woman who gave her name as Mrs. Edith has cried out over alleged shooting to death of her two sons by security agents, hours after last Saturday evening’s attack on the state CID, Umuahia, by unknown gunmen.
Edith told Saturday Sun in Umuahia of how her two sons, Obinna and Anthony were marched out of their house, Saturday night, at the Ugwunchara area of Umuahia (axis of the burnt state CID) and killed by security agents.
A devastated Mrs. Edith said the security agents forcefully broke into their room hours after the SCID incident, marched her two sons out and shot them to death on the pretext they were among the unknown gunmen who attacked the police facility.
“The elderly one, Obinna, just came back from work that Saturday evening, while his younger brother, Anthony was lying down inside our room, without being aware if there was any attack at the SCID or not.
“But all of a sudden, some security men in uniform, broke into our room, forced out the two boys and shot them dead before our eyes, claiming they were among the unknown gunmen who attacked the SCID and this was happening hours after the people who attacked the police formation had all gone. As I speak with you, two of my sons are in the mortuary, they were killed for what they knew nothing about”.
A day after the SCID was attacked and razed down by unknown gunmen, the command’s PPRO, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna told journalists that two Inspectors of police and eight of the gunmen were killed during the attack. But Umuahia-based clergyman who wouldn’t want his name mentioned for security reasons, had, however, accused the police of being economical with the truth.
“These are responsible men that police and army went to their houses at 9pm on Saturday and killed, six hours after the CID invaders had gone. They took them away before the women in the yard, only for people to see them assassinated in cold blood yesterday (Sunday). It is unfortunate that after the incident, the Police PRO, Geoffrey Ogbonna turned round to claim that they were the gunmen they killed in crossfire. Their families as eye witnesses are here crying for the intervention of government.”
The clergyman equally alleged that the tricycle operator claimed to have been killed during crossfire, was actually shot dead in an area that had nothing to do with the Saturday incident. “Please, Abia State Government should get up to defend the youth and the people of Abia State. If nothing is done, there is going to be the cleansing of our youths” the clergyman warned. When contacted on the alleged extrajudicial killings, particularly that at Ugwunchara, SP Ogbonna said he was not aware of such killings.