Policemen who were deployed to stop the protest shortly after its commencement started shooting indiscriminately.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have reportedly shot and killed a middle-aged man in Imo State as students of the newly opened Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental sciences, Umuagwo, and residents of the area went on a protest.
The protesting youths who blocked the ever-busy Owerri- Port Harcourt expressway, demanded an end to police harassment and brutality in the area.
According to the report, policemen who were deployed to stop the protest shortly after its commencement started shooting indiscriminately and killed a 26-year-old man identified as Izuchukwu Okorie.
The late Okorie, who was not part of the protest, was hit by indiscriminate police bullet, PUNCH reports.
He was rushed to a hospital where he was confirmed dead.
The immediate younger brother of the victim, Onyinyechi Okorie, who spoke in a telephone interview, said that his elder brother was not a student of the university.
He said that his elder brother came to visit him and was on his way out when he was hit by a stray bullet.
Onyinyechi said “My name is Onyinyechi Okorie. The person killed was my immediate elder brother. He was not a student of the university and was not part of the protest. He was a tiler. I am a businessman in the area.
“He was not part of the protest. He was on his way out when a stray bullet hit him. He was rushed to St John’s Hospital at Obinze by students and some policemen. I met them there. He was confirmed dead.
“He came to visit me. He wasn’t married. We are from Oforola community in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo state. Our father is late. Our widow mother is alive. His corpse has been deposited at the Above Mortuary at Obama. They only gave me his ATM card, house key and the sum of N300. His phone is nowhere to be found. As I speak to you his phone number is still switched off.
“Please tell the government that we need justice. This is just three years we lost our father. The policemen refused to give me their phone numbers and also refused to tell me their names or how I could locate them. They just drove out once my brother was confirmed dead."
Meanwhile, the Command's spokesman, Micheal Abattam, has confirmed the tragic death of Izuchukwu, saying that the command had commenced investigation into the incident.