Residents of Omagwa Community in Ikwerre Local Council of Rivers State have staged a protest over the death of a young man, Bright Chikuma Egbule, allegedly shot dead by police officers from the Omagwa Division in the early hours of yesterday.
Eyewitnesses said the community, angered by the incident, mobilised and took the victim’s body to the police station. In a dramatic demonstration of their outrage, they blocked the federal road with the corpse, disrupting vehicular movement and demanding justice.
Fears mounted that the protest could escalate into violence, but swift intervention was reportedly taken to address the situation.
Confirming the incident, the Rivers State Police Command stated that normalcy has been restored in the area.
Spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement yesterday, said the officer involved in the fatal shooting had been detained and an investigation launched.
“The command is aware, and the CP is on top of the situation. Normalcy has now been restored, and adequate security is on the ground to prevent any breach of peace,” Iringe-Koko said. She added that the deceased’s body had been deposited in the morgue, and efforts were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The officer who fired the shot has been detained, and an investigation is ongoing,” she said. Iringe-Koko also disclosed that the command had reached out to the victim’s family, offering condolences and assuring them of justice.
“The command sympathises with the family and assures them that justice will be served,” she added.
