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A police officer attached with the Edo State Police command has allegedly killed an 18-year-old youth, Chinedu Abimbor, for refusing to stop at a checkpoint.
It was gathered that the incident happened at Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
Sources said the incident happened on Wednesday when the victim, who was driving in a Mercedes Benz, refused to stop at the police checkpoint in the town when his vehicle was flagged down.
Angered by Abimbor’s action, one of the operatives reportedly fired shots at the vehicle, killing the driver in the process.
“His brother who was in the vehicle with him was arrested by the police and taken into custody,” a source added.
It was gathered youths took to the streets of Ekpoma, demanding justice for the deceased and the immediate release of his brother from custody.
A youth Lucky Adaba, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, noted that police in the area had a habit of harrasing young men driving cars.
He said they protested to the police to investigate what could have led to the killing, but they were teargased.
Meanwhile, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Moses Yamu, said the Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin had ordered a full-scale investigation with a view to ascertaining what actually happened.
Moses in a statement said the CP had directed the immediate withdrawal of the three patrol teams fingered in the incident from operations.
According to him, the incident involved a security forces’ joint operation team and occupants of an unregistered Mercedes Benz which resulted in the death of one Chinedu Obimbor.
“The Commissioner of Police has commiserated with family, friends of the deceased, and sued for calm with assurance that justice will prevailed at the end,” he said.
