Odita Sunday 
Police Inspector Allegedly Killed by Police Convoy in Enugu as Family Demands Justice
By Odita Sunday
A serving Police Inspector attached to the Operations Department of the Enugu State Police Command, Dr. Obodo Paul Ikechukwu, has reportedly died after he was allegedly struck by a police convoy along Bisala Road near the Enugu Government House.
The incident was said to have occurred between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, while the officer was on his way to his duty post.
According to eyewitnesses, Inspector Ikechukwu had alighted from a commercial bus and was attempting to cross the road when he was allegedly hit by one of the vehicles in the convoy.
Witnesses claimed the vehicle dragged the officer for some distance before the convoy reportedly continued its journey without stopping.
It was further alleged that the deceased’s body and his service rifle remained at the scene for some time until passers-by removed them and used his mobile phone to contact his relatives and colleagues.
Family members of the deceased have appealed to the police authorities to identify and apprehend those responsible for the incident, alleging that their efforts to obtain official intervention have yet to yield the desired results.
Speaking on the incident, a relative of the deceased, described the tragedy as a painful loss not only to the family but to the entire community.
”The victim is from my village and sadness has enveloped the whole town. Kindly help me publicize it in as many online platforms as practicable. It is my personal loss and this is the much I can do for my people,” he said.
Narrating the family’s efforts to seek justice, he said they visited the New Haven Police Division in Enugu on Monday to formally report the incident.
”We went to New Heaven Police Division yesterday, where we met with the Divisional Police Officer who demanded for written introduction concerning the death of Police Inspector, which I did. Then, he sympathized with us at the end and told us that he is making effort to know how Government House control room could unravel the vehicle behind my brother’s death,” he said.
According to him, the family was subsequently referred to the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations at the Enugu State Police Command Headquarters.
”He equally sent us to go and see AC Operations, Police State Headquarters Enugu. The AC Operations consoled us and said that we knew our brother wasn’t on duty when the accident happened. Though, he later said we should go home and arrange for the burial date and write to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations for onward preparation of my brother’s burial according to Police tradition. We now left his office,” he added.
The deceased, popularly known as “Apoka,” was from Nkpologu in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State and was reputed to be one of the few officers in the Nigeria Police Force with a doctorate degree.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful as calls and messages to the Command’s spokesperson were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, and the police have yet to issue an official statement.
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