Two persons are battling for their lives in various private hospitals in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State after they were shot by happy-trigger police officers attached to the Aba Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

There were fears that one of the victims identified as Ugochukwu Chinyere, an indigene of Umuekwensu community in Ohuru Isimiri, Obingnwa local government area of the state may not be able to walk again as the bullet shot at him by a police officer (whose name was yet-to-be ascertained) pierced through his hip, leaving him with severe injury on his waist.

Mr. Chinyere, a commercial motorcycle passenger was allegedly shot by one Yahaya led team of police officers who were at a checkpoint in front of popular Metrological complex on Obikabia-Umukalika road in Obingwa LGA.

The second person whose name was yet-to-be ascertained was shot on the leg by one of the police officers attached to the Azuka police station in Aba North LGA.

Mr. Christopher Nduagu, an eyewitness to the Ohuru Isimiri shooting, while narrating the incident said, “Ugochuklwu Chinyere was a passenger in a motorcycle going to Obikabia junction.

“One of the policemen at Umukalika police checkpoint stopped them to demand their usual N1000, but the bike man told him that he doesn’t have the money. They had a heated argument, leading to intervention by late Chinyere.

“The police officer, who had warned Chinyere not to come close to him, fired him on the hip. He was rushed to a private hospital where he is receiving medical attention.”

Another eyewitness who gave his name as Linus Alanna, narrating the Azuka Police Station shooting said that they were going to the hospital off Ikot Ekpene Expressway to visit their brother who was shot by the Ohuru Isimiri Police team when a police officer serving in the Azuka Police Station fired and injured the knee of their kinsman.

“We were going to Dominion Hospital where the injured person was receiving medical attention when police officers and the Divisional Police Officers (DPO) from the Azuka police station accosted us.”

Investigation by our correspondent has it that the second victim is receiving treatment at a private orthopedic hospital along Okigwe road in Aba North LGA.

When our correspondent visited the scene of Obikabia-Umukalika incident in Obingwa LGA, there was no presence of any police team at their usual spot in front of the Aba Metrological complex, Umukalika.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna didn’t take his calls when contacted.

Ogbonna is yet to reply text message sent to his mobile phone number by our correspondent at the time of filing the report.

A police source, who condemned the shooting of the innocent citizens, however claimed that the Azuka incident happened after the police got intelligence that the youths were coming to attack the Azuka Police Station.

(Courtesy The Nation)

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