George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
A police guard at a bank in Owerri, Imo State, has allegedly shot a youth who was part of those escorting a body from the morgue for burial.
Our reporter reliably gathered that trouble started when some youths from Amakohia in Owerri North council of the state who were part of burial procession had allegedly blocked the entrance to the First Bank situated along the Amakohia/Akwakuma road.
The police officers who were guarding the bank premises were said to have ordered them to move away from the entrance of the bank but the youths allegedly attacked one of the policemen.
It was further learnt that sensing trouble a colleague of the police officer who was allegedly been attacked, fired a warning shot to scare away the crowd but one of the stray bullets hit one of the youths in the waist.
It was further gathered that the yet-to-be-identified youth who was shot, was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri where he was being treated.
One of the residents who gave his name as Emenike told our reporter that trouble began when of the youths who were escorting a body blocked the entrance of the bank at Amakohia.
“In the process one of the police officer fired his gun which hit one of the youths on the abdomen. I don’t know whether he died or not because he was taken to the FMC.”
The spokesman for the Imo State police command, Orlando Ikeokwu, who confirmed the incident said that one of the youths who was hit by a stray bullet was in a stable condition.
“The young man who is right now receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, is in a stable condition and not dead.”