Abia lost internal revenue officers to gunfire in Aba

OKEY SAMPSON, Aba

Tragedy struck on Monday in Aba, Abia State when a policeman shot dead a revenue collector with the state government identified as  Friday Dimofor. Daily Sun gathered that three policemen from Eziama police division, Corporal Paul, Constables  Otuu James and Henry had gone to a spot on Obiora Road outside their area of assignment to arrest some indian hemp smokers.
On arrival at the place and without taking permission from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ndiegoro Division, the policemen arrested a young man they alleged, was a hemp smoker. The young man, whose ide
ntity could not be immediately ascertained was said to have escaped from  the policemen while dragging him towards their van.
In an attempt to re-arrest the fleeing ‘suspect’, one of the policemen was said to have fired in the direction of the young man.
But his shot missed target and hit Dimofor, 29, who was attending a meeting at Obiora Road.
Dimofor, a native of Agbaja, in Isiala Mbano Local Government of Imo State, but lived in Aba was immediately rushed to a private hospital by members of his club, while the policemen fled the scene. He was certified dead in the hospital moments later.
When it realised that he had killed somebody, Paul was said to have dashed back to his office, locked his gun inside his drawer, rushed back home and he hurriedly packed some of his belongings and left to an unknown destination with members of his household.
Following Dimofor’s death, members of his Club on Tuesday, staged a protest march round the city and would have burnt down Eziama police station, but for the prompt intervention of officer in-charge of SARS, Aba, Anari N. Anari who pleaded with the protesters.
When contacted, Abia State Commissioner of Police, Usman Tili Abubarkar who described the incident as a fallout of the failure of the DPO of Eziama station to have firm control of his men, said two of the cops who went on the illegal patrol had been arrested and that efforts would be made to arrest the fleeing cop.
Abubarkar said after investigation, those found culpable would be charged to court and urged members of the deceased’s club and the general public to remain calm as police would see that justice was done in the matter.