Police operatives in Edo State have reportedly shot and killed an 18-year-old boy, Chinedu Abimbor, at a checkpoint in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, has sparked widespread outrage among youths and family members, who are now demanding justice.
According to eyewitnesses, the shooting happened after Abimbor, who was driving a Mercedes-Benz, refused to stop when flagged down by police officers. “The young man’s refusal to stop angered one of the operatives, who immediately fired at the vehicle, killing the victim in the process,” a witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, recounted.
Abimbor’s younger brother, who was also in the car at the time of the incident, was subsequently arrested by the police and taken into custody.
The following day, Thursday, angry protesters took to the streets of Ekpoma, demanding justice for Abimbor and the immediate release of his detained brother. The demonstrators also gathered at the palace of the traditional ruler of Ekpoma, HRH Anthony Ehizogie Abumere II, to press their demands.
Speaking to Daily Post, a protest spokesperson, Lucky Adaba, condemned the actions of the police. “We went to the police station to inquire about what could have led to the killing, but the police teargassed us and started shooting,” he alleged. “The police have formed the habit of harassing young men driving cars in Ekpoma.”
In response to the public outcry, the Edo State Police Command announced that it had launched a full-scale investigation into the incident. A statement from the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, confirmed that the fatal shooting involved a joint security team and the occupants of an unregistered Mercedes-Benz.
The Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of the three patrol teams implicated in the incident. The statement also conveyed her condolences to Abimbor’s family, assuring the public that “justice will be served in the end.”
As tensions remain high in Ekpoma, authorities have urged residents to remain calm while investigations continue.