The slain man reportedly refused to give N100 bribe to the police.
Angered by the gruesome killing of a young man in Delta State, South-south Nigeria, the youths on Wednesday carried the victim’s corpse in a rolling stretcher and marched through major roads in Asaba.
The victim, Onyeka Ibe, was allegedly shot dead by a police officer on Wednesday at about 9:30 a.m. along Ugbolu-Illah Road in Oshimili North Local Government Area for reportedly refusing to pay a N100 bribe.
The police were said to be on “stop and search” duty on the road when the incident occurred.
“We lost a quiet, promising young blood. Onyi left his house with his wife for daily bread and was shot and killed by those paid to protect lives and property,” said a human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, who posted a video of the protest on his Facebook page.
Some of the youths could be heard shouting “police-ooo! Police-ooo! Police-ooo!” in the background of the clip as they marched through a road in protest. About three young men, who led the walk, were pushing the corpse on a stretcher.
A photo of a woman, apparently the victim’s wife, whose dress had blood stains, was also posted on the Facebook page.
The slain man was inside a car with his wife when he was shot, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.
Mr Gwamnishu, who wore black T-shirt and black eyeglasses in the clip, queried how many young people’s lives would be taken before the police take steps to end the killing.
He accused the police team of abandoning the victim’s corpse after killing him.
The police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe, on Wednesday identified the officer who allegedly killed Mr Ibe as Ebri Ubi, a police inspector whom he said had been taken into custody.
Mr Edafe said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ari Mohammed directed that the police officer be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for “a thorough and speedy investigation.”
Mr Edafe, a deputy police superintendent, assured the public that the officer would be prosecuted for alleged murder.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
