A Nigerian Security and Civil Corps officer was on Monday killed while the state commandant was manhandled when heavily armed policemen invaded the Imo State Command of the corps.
StandardObsevers gathered that the NSCDC commandant was dragged out in his boxers and was beaten while several of his officers were injured in the standoff.
The incident occurred at the NSCDC State Command Headquarters, located at Okigwe Road, along with Works Layout in Owerri.
The police officers from Squadron-18 Mobile Police, Owerri attacked the personnel of the NSCDC, and shot sporadically in the air, forcing residents of the area to scamper for their safety.
Trouble started after a heated argument had ensued between the driver of the NSCDC boss and a police officer in a mufti.
The officer had blocked the exit way of the commandant’s entourage, which was returning from Abacheke, the oil bunkering site where scores were burnt to death in Egbema.
A Civil Defence officer explained that “when asked by the commandant’s security escorts to move aside, the police officer who was not in uniform vehemently refused without even disclosing his identity. He was, however, ignored on the commandant’s directive.
“However, rather than go his way, the police officer, unknown to the men of the Corps, put a call through to his colleagues, who mobilised to the command’s headquarters, while he followed the entourage to Owerri.
“On reaching the Corps office, while the commandant made to enter the command, the man blocked the NSCDC boss, brought out a pistol and announced that he was a police officer. On sighting that, he was immediately rounded up and arrested by NSCDC officers who also seized the pistol to avert danger.
“After he was released, he returned with heavily armed enraged MOPOL men who went into the beating, shooting and attacking both officers and their facilities at the premises.”
An unnamed orderly of the NSCDC commandant was killed after the commandant, Mr Ogar, who was already in his office, rushed out to address the situation on hearing the gunshots, but the enraged policemen attacked and beat him up with his uniform torn, after which he was stripped down to his boxers before being whisked away.
The policemen subsequently released their colleague who was arrested and detained for invading its premises.
Mike Abattam, the spokesman of the Imo Police Command could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.
