Businessman Killed By Trigger-Happy Police Officer

A businessman has passed away following an apparent shooting in Aba by a trigger-happy policeman.

On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, Emmanuel Michael Okocha, a resident of Abiriba Community in Ohafia local government area in Abia State, was travelling with the apprentice of his late father.

They drove into Aba via the Osisioma flyover, having come via Abriba.

However as they got closer to the area across from Abayi Girl’s Secondary School, a group of police officers pulled them over and demanded to see Mr. Okocha’s driver’s licence and car paperwork, which he promptly produced.

The policeman purportedly began requesting a tip after returning the documents to him after certifying that they were complete.

After wasting his time, the late businessman told the officer he had nothing to provide and began to move his car out of the checkpoint.

However, an eyewitness claimed that an officer stationed in front of him turned his rifle and opened fire on him without warning.

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After the bullet struck Mr Emmanuel Michael Okocha and he started screaming that he had been shot, the police squad allegedly got into their car and left.

The victim was driven to the neighbouring Living Word Hospital by the eyewitness, who then called his attorney, who met him at the MCC Police Station.

It was then that the eyewitness identified the police team and the trigger-happy officer.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, medical professionals operated right away to try to save Mr. Okocha’s life, but yesterday evening, Friday, April 19, he passed away from his wounds.

The Abiriba Community is now calling for justice as a result. They have urged the State Governor, Alex Otti, to step in and make sure that rogue police officers and other security agency personnel understand how important it is to protect innocent Abia State citizens’ lives at all costs.

In a statement released on Saturday, they wrote, “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 whose 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.

“This ugly incident is a constant reminder that the Government needs to do more to checkmate the excesses of men and women in 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.”

Mr. Emmanuel Michael Okocha, who passed away, left behind his wife and two young children.

Friends posted pictures of his lifeless body laying in a hospital on Facebook in his memory.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli