Some officers of the Rivers State Police Command serving in the Akinima Division of Ahoada-West Local Government Area of the state have been accused of killing one Livingston Ugbuluka and disappearing with his corpse.
The allegation was brought forward by a Port Harcourt based lawyer, Henry Ekine, who is also the National legal Adviser for Defence for Human Rights(CDHR).
The lawyer made this allegation in a post on his Facebook page saying the yet to be identified police gruesomely killed Ugbuluka by first shooting and stabbing him to death on Christmas Day without any justifiable reason.
In addition, the lawyer stressed that the remains of the father of two was taken away in the police Hilux van.
Ekine, in the post said, “Policemen stormed Odiopiti/Odiobo communities in Ahoada-West Local Government Area on Christmas morning, Monday 25th December, 2023 at about 8.00am in a white Hilux van known to be attached to and used by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO).
“The Policemen extra-judicially shot and killed one Mr. Livingstone Egbuluka, a young man of about 32 years old and a father of two little children.”
He quoted eyewitnesses as identifying “one Officer, simply called Destiny who first shot at the victim on his ankle along the road between Odiopiti and Odiobo Communities.
“After the victim fell on the ground and while bleeding helplessly, the Policemen pounced on him and perfected their act with stabs on his ribs region and a final shot on his thigh or lap causing him to bleed more profusely; his pool of blood flooded the ground at the scene”.
Ekine further alleged that the killer Policemen then took the victim in their van without concern for his survival and drove off.
He said that the whereabouts of this Christmas day victim of Police brutality has since remained undisclosed by the Police.
Ekine, further said that relatives of the victim have gone to the Police Station at Akinima thrice to demand for their son and brother.
“The Police have refused to let the relatives to see him or his body or remains.
“We are demanding the immediate intervention of the Police Service Commission, the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (Zone 16) and the Commissioner of Police to swiftly investigate the DPO, his Officers and Personnel dispassionately and prosecute the perpetrators of this extrajudicial killing of a citizen.
“Every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty only by a competent court after diligent prosecution or trial.
“No Policeman is permitted to extrajudicially kill any citizen.
“The Police must produce Mr. Livingstone Ogbuluka alive. Worse still, the Police must produce his body or remains to his relatives.
“We are determined to pursue and obtain justice on this matter. We will surely mobilize all efforts to ensure that justice is done and the perpetrators are punished.
Responding to the enquires of from Journalists on the incident, the Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command,SP Grace Iringe-Koko, simply said “Good evening, I have asked the writer to come to the office for more clarification.I will get back to you please.”