A violent clash erupted in Owerri, capital city of Imo State on Tuesday between men of the Nigeria Police and members of the road transport workers (Bus Drivers), leading to the killing of a driver while two others were critically wounded.
The commotion which lasted for more than two hours, started as early as 7.00am at Okigwe road/Wetheral round about motor park axis, located few poles to the Government House, Owerri.
Our correspondent reports that the incident disrupted business activities and free flow of both human and motor traffic for several hours as the aggrieved members barricaded the Okigwe Road, Union Bank/Prison and Modotel, carrying some dangerous weapons, logs/wooden tables in protest of the said extra-judicial killing of their colleague.
Our correspondent who visited the scene of the incident shortly after the evacuation of the corpse of the victim, reports that the Police in company of his cohorts attached to the reconstituted Task Force on illegal Motor Parks and Obstructions instituted by the Owerri Municipal Council, had arrived the area classified to be illegal park in full bus load for possible arrest and eviction of alleged illegal users/occupants before the incident.
It was further gathered that the unfortunate young driver, a native of Aguileri in Anambra State (Aka-Aguleri Boy) met his untimely death that morning when the task force on raiding/patrol accosted/caught him along with the conductor inside their L-300 Mitsubishi Bus and attempted to take hold of the bus key which was not in motion, but met with stiff resistance from the driver who failed to succumb to the pressure.
Provoked by the resistance the corp, according to an eye witness reached for his long range raffle and shot the driver on the chest, and he died instantly, whereas the conductor and another passersby who arrived to buy some newspapers, had their legs shattered by bullets.
Colleagues of the late driver whose corpse was taken to an unknown destination trooped out in thousands, chanted war songs and matched down to the old Okigwe main motor park by Tetlow Street junction with a promise to avenge the killing of their member by the Police. The revenue office of the council within the park was vandalised in the process, while a Passat saloon car with registration No AA709 BKW belonging to one of the officials was equally damaged.
It took the arrival of a detachment of policemen to restore normalcy. Although, the major/strategic areas, manned by police traffic officers within the metropolis were completely deserted for several hours, as those posted to their duty beats refused such directives, for fear of reprisal attack or possible molestation from the mob (bus drivers).
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr. Isa Mohammed, when contacted in his office at the Imo State Police Command Headquarters confirmed the incident, but quickly told our correspondent that the matter is being investigated.
