The Abia State House of Assembly has summoned the Commissioner of Police in the state, Kene Onwuemelie, to explain the circumstances surrounding the killing of a businessman by a police officer.
The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, in a post on his verified X handle on Wednesday, said the House also resolved to summon heads of other security agencies in the state over the incident.
The killing
The businessman, Emmanuel Okocha, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, died on Friday, 19 April, in the state after a police operative shot him for allegedly refusing to give bribe to a team of police operatives.
The late Okocha hailed from Abiriba, a community in Ohafia Local Government Area in the South-eastern state.
The operatives were reportedly from the Rapid Response Squad of the police in the state.
They were said to have demanded a bribe from the victim despite having his complete vehicle documents and driver’s licence
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that police authorities in Abia State, Saturday, 20 April, arrested one of the police operatives identified as Obagi Njok, a police corporal attached to Abayi Police Division in the state.
This newspaper also reported that the state governor, Alex Otti, ordered the police commissioner to ensure prosecution of the police operatives involved in the killing of the businessman.
The summons
In the post on X, Mr Emeruwa said Ucheonye Akachukwu (Aba Central -Labour Party) brought the incident to the attention of the House during Tuesday’s plenary.
“The House decided to invite the commissioner of police and other heads of security agencies in the State for an interaction on Tuesday, 30 April, 2024,” Mr Emeruwa said.
The speaker said the House also resolved to call on the Abia State Government to provide “adequate compensation” to the family of the deceased businessman.
He said the House equally asked the state government to establish a panel of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure that the perpetrators were prosecuted.
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