POLICE BRUTAL SHOOTING & MURDER ON THE STREET OF ABA.

ONN Aba 20/04/2024

ABIRIBA-ENACHIOKEN IS BLEEDING - ONE POLICE MURDER, TOO MANY: THE BRUTAL SHOOTING & MURDER OF THE FIRST SON OF ABIRIBA FINEST, LATE CHIEF MICHAEL N. OKOCHA ALIAS NOKO BY ROGUE OFFICERS OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, MCC ABAYI - ABA.

The tragic shooting and killing of Mr. Emmanuel Michael Okocha by trigger happy rogue officers of the Nigeria Police Force, MCC Abayi - Aba was a deliberate infliction of excruciating pain and agony on humanity, Nigerians, Abians and the Entire Abiriba Community.

The unprovoked, reckless shooting and murder of the promising first son of 'Efi Abiriba', Aku Ruo Uluo 1 of Abiriba, Late Chief Michael Okocha Alias NOKO by men and officers of The Nigeria Police who were hired, trained, armed and being paid with tax payer's money is a reminder and reopening of old wound of Police Brutality against the same citizens they were hired to protect which triggered the Endsars protest that shook the foundation of Nigeria existence in 2020.

An eye witness account by the deceased victim late father's apprentice who was sitting next to him in the car had it that they drove all the way from Abiriba on Wednesday, 17th day of April 2024 and entered Aba through Osisioma flyover. On approaching opposite Abayi Girl's Secondary School, a team of Police Officers stopped them and demanded for the car documents and driver's licence of Mr. Emmanuel Michael Okocha which he quickly availed them.

After the check and control of the papers, the Police Officer returned the documents to him and started demanding for a tip (roja). The late Emmanuel replied the Officer that he hadn't nothing to give him after wasting him time and started moving his car to leave the check point only for another Officer standing in front to turn his riffle and shoot at him without provocation. Mr. Emmanuel Michael Okocha was hit by the bullet and he was shouting that he has been shot and the Police Team ran into their car and drove off.

The eye witness drove the victim to the nearby Living World Hospital before calling his Attorney who joined him to MCC Police Station where the Police Team and the trigger happy shooter was identified by the eye witness. The young Mr. Emmanuel Michael Okocha who was struggling with his life after a surgery by Doctors to save his life on thursday died of the gun shot injuries yesterday (Friday) evening.

The Abiriba Community has been wounded and are saddened by the unprovoked, reckless and brutal murder of their promising young son. The philanthropic and kind hearted father of the victim, Late Chief Michael N. Okocha whose time and wealth touched numerous lives and commitment/drive to Community Development is still visible in Abiriba after two decades of his demise must be watching from the spirit world to see how his beloved Abiriba will rally to ensure that those who brutally cut-short the life of his beloved son are served the justice they deserved.

The Leadership of Abiriba Communal Improvement Union and the Abiriba Community assembled in their numbers yesterday evening at Living World Hospital, Abayi. It was a black Friday and a Sad Day for the Abiriba Community in Aba. The Leadership of Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU), Aba Chapter have called for an Emergency meeting of Abiriba Community in Aba today being Saturday, 20th April, 2024 by 7am at Abiriba Hall (199 Jubilee Road, Aba) to douse the tension, halt a looming showdown and total breakdown of law and public order and discuss a way forward to ensure that the culprits and killers of their promising beloved son are apprehended and served the same meal as prescribed by Law.

The Abiriba Community is calling on Abia State Government under their adopted son, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti to intervene to ensure that rogue officers in Nigeria Police Force and other Security Agencies get the message that the lives of innocent Abia State citizens must be protected without compromise. This ugly incident is a constant reminder that the Government needs to do more to checkmate the excesses of men and women of her Security Agencies. They should be made to understand that their job is to protect lives not to take it and firearms are only meant to be used in extreme danger to defend themselves against deadly attack.

Late Mr. Emmanuel Michael Okocha should not only Rest in Peace, he must Rest in Justice.

Ctz. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha

Omeifuku writes from Living World Hospital.