undergraduate of Imo State Polytechnic in Ohaji-Egbema local
government area of the state.
The deceased Ikechukwu Uwagbaokwu Photo credit: Vangaurd
The deceased, Ikechukwu Uwagbaokwu, according to family source was
allegedly killed by the operatives of the Abia State Police Command.
According to vanguard, the Uwagbokwu family said that their son was
murdered because of a land tussle they have with Ndukwe and Uwaga
families.
The deceased family further alleged that the other families in the
land dispute connived with the police to frame their son.
It was learnt that land disputes amongst the families get messier
prompting the community's traditional peace maker, Ibeku Okonko
Arbitration Panel to invite the families for peaceful dissolution of
the crisis.
The panel had fixed a date for hearing on the case but had to
reschedule following the death of one of the families witness.
Barely five days to the rescheduled date, Ikechukwu was murdered and
his family is accusing the other families for the death of their son.
The family in their petition to the Abia state commissioner of police
said they suspected one of the rival families for their son death
stating that the said family had earlier accused them for the demise
of their family member.
The family petition read in part: "On the 10th of September, 2015, Mr.
Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, a Marketing Student of Imo Polytechnic
went to bed at about 9.00pm but at about 10.50pm there was persistent
banging on the door of the family house of the Uwagbaokwu.
"When Mr. Anthony Uwagbaokwe (elder brother of deceased) came out to
see who was banging on their door, lo and behold, there were about ten
fierce men in Police uniform who had taken strategic positions in the
surroundings of the house. "One of the men in uniform, who came with
Hilux pick up van and black Camry Saloon Car, hit the door of one of
the occupants of the house and forced it open. When the occupant came
out, the men in police uniform, who refused to identify themselves,
said that he was not the person that they were looking for.
"The Police went to the direction pointed to by those who allegedly
brought them. The armed policemen forced the next wooden door open and
on sighting Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, one of the policemen
allegedly shot him and he died immediately. "Our clients raised alarm
but nobody came to their rescue. The matter was reported to Ehimiri
Police Station in whose jurisdiction this area falls, where the
Divisional Police Officer (DPO) gave them order to deposit the
deceased at Madonna Mortuary in Umuahia."
Reacting to the incident, the state commissioner of police, Joshak
Habila said that he cannot deny or confirm the receipt of the deceased
family's petition but asked the family and their lawyer to see in
office if they have such allegation against the police promising that
the matter will be thoroughly investigated as his command will not
cover or protect any police man involved in extra-judicial killing.
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