From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Protects erupted on Saturday as youths of Ntueke community in Ideato south protested over the alleged shooting of an indigene of the community Emeka Dike by the Divisional Police Officer of Ideato North council area of the state who had branded him a member of the Eastern Security Network ( ESN).
The irate youths who barricaded the Akokwa – Okwelle high way on Saturday demanded for justice over the shooting of the young man.
The youths who displayed placards with various inscriptions which depicted their anger called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Barba and the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Barde, to ensure that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ideato North Police headquarters, Chris Ikemere, who allegedly shot a young man, Emeka Dike in a pub on Wednesday night does not escape justice.
It was learnt that Dike , 44, a father of four was said to had returned from Lagos for the funeral rites of one of his relations when he was allegedly shot at a drinking joint in the area by the DPO.
President of the Ntueke Community youths , Ifeanyi Obiekwe, who spoke to Journalists while the protest was going on said that he was with the victim when the DPO who arrived in a vehicle with two women shot Dike simply” because he asked him to re- park his vehicle”.
He disclosed that the shooting happened at a neighbouring community called Emma Ocha beer parlour in Uruala community in Ideato-North LGA of the state.
According to him , “both the DPO and his victim and myself were at a beer parlour. We came to have to relax , when DPO arrived, there was a face-off between the two.”
He revealed that sequel to the face-off, the DPO branded the young men members of ESN and As he contacted his office and requested his boys to help to get rid of the bad boys at the beer spot.
He continued” The trigger happy police officer could not exercise patience! As the young boys around were demanding that he should park his jeep properly, he reached out for his pistol and shot one of them .And drove off immediately and took refuse at the police divisional headquarters, very close to the scene of the event ”
“if not for the prompt and matured intervention of the Area Commander of Ideato Police Area Command, who rushed the young man to the hospital and ensured that he receives proper treatment he would have been dead by now.
“We are happy that the DPO has been arrested but we are calling for his prosecution. The police authority should ensure justice in this matter. Our brother, a family man is lying critically in a hospital now owing to the wickedness of a police officer who is being paid with tax payers money.
” The annoying thing is that the trigger happy DPO is from our neigbouring community of Isiekenesi. I asked him if he wanted to kill his brother, he shouted at me and threatened to shoot me if I queried him again. I dared him before the area commander ordered that he be disarmed together with his ADC.”
However, when contacted the Police spokesperson for the state command, Micheal Abattam,(CSP) had yet to respond to the incident as at press time .