The Divisional Police Officer, Ideato North Police Headquarters, Imo State, Chris Ikemere, has been arrested for allegedly shooting Emeka Dike, an indigene of the state who returned home from Lagos State for the burial of his mother.
According to available information, the DPO shot the father of four on Wednesday night at a beer parlour in the area.
Following the development, youths of Ntueke Community in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State on Saturday evening blocked the Akokwa-Okwelle Expressway in protest.
The youths called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, and the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Berde, to ensure justice for Dike.
The youth leader, Ifeanyi Obiekwe, told newsmen during the protest that he was with the victim when Ikemere arrived in a vehicle with two women and shot Dike “because he asked him to re-park his vehicle”.
Obiekwe said that the shooting happened at Emma Ocha beer parlour in Uruala community, Ideato-North LGA of the state.
He said: “Both the DPO, his victim and myself were at a beer parlour.
“We came to have some evening comfort and to relax.
“When the DPO arrived, there was a face-off between the two.
“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 refuge at the Police Divisional Headquarters, very close to the scene of the event.
“If not for the prompt and mature intervention of the Area Commander of Ideato Police Area Command, who rushed the young man to the hospital and ensured that he received 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 taxpayers’ money.
“The annoying thing is that the trigger happy DPO is from our neighbouring community of Isiekenesi.
“I asked him if he wanted to kill his brother, he shouted at me and threatened to shoot me if queried him again.
“I dared him before the Area Commander ordered that he be disarmed together with his ADC.”
Ikemere was said to have initially declared the young men members of the Eastern Security Network, calling on his aides to arrest them.
