Traders, Police Disagree Over Death Of Man From Gunshot Injuries

A trader, Ebere Chibuike at the Timber and Allied market was on Monday shot dead by men in uniform suspected to be policemen.

The circumstances surrounding his demise is a source of controversy as there is conflicting reports from fellow traders and the Imo State Police spokesman.

According to an eyewitness who spoke to Pressman on condition of anonymity, he said Chibuike who is popularly known as Wazzi was shot by a policeman who was arresting a suspect and the market.

He said, “The young man’s name is Ebere Chibuike but he is popularly known in the market as Wazzi. He is from Onicha in Ezinihtte Mbaise LGA. He deals on building materials. A team of policemen came for an arrest of a suspect and, you know, carelessly one of the traders sought to know why he was arrested. One of them immediately pulled the trigger on them and shot dead a trader.

“When they saw the trader was lying dead, they hurriedly zoomed off in the hilux with the arrested suspect. I cannot see the reason why a police man could shoot sporadically in a marketplace where there are thousands of traders. What sort of policemen do we have in this state! This is totally unacceptable.

“All we want is justice for Wazzi. He has done nothing to deserve death. We saw everything with our eyes, one of the officers shot him. All of them were on police uniform. They were not the usual unknown gunmen.”

Also the Chairman of Owerri Building Material Association, Chief Elias Ezejiofor said, ‘It was uncalled for the manner with which the police harass, molest and intimidate traders in the market.

“I just got a call that a trader was shot dead by the police and I immediately rushed to the market. But when I got here, I asked the traders around if the deceased committed any offence.

“If the police cannot protect lives and property they swore for, then we shall have course to see them as terrorists rather than enforcers of the law. Even if the deceased committed any crime, does it warrant his killing? What kind of a country are we in? We want nothing but justice on Wazzi’s killing.”

Reacting to the allegations leveled against the police by the market, the commands Spokesman, Henry Okoye said: “Information I have gathered so far indicates it’s not the Police that shot him.

“More so, the DPO in charge of the area has since been mobilized to the scene for on-the-spot analysis and discreet investigation.”