The Senior Special Assistant on Youth Affairs to Imo State Governor, Hon. Eric Uwakwe has paid a condolence visit to the family of commercial motorcycle rider who was killed by a police officer over a face mask in Orlu.
Hon. Uwakwe who prayed for the repose of Mr. Ukachukwu Mbagwu, described the circumstances leading to his demise as very unfortunate, callous and condemnable, adding that he will work with the state Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to get justice for the family and also avoid a repetition of such occurrence.
Mr. Ukachukwu mbagwu was shot by a police officer at Orlu Imo State over an argument arising from the deceased not wearing a face mask. His death sparked up a protest by youths in the area and so far the state police command has detained the officer, calling for calm and assuring residents of the area that they will get justice.
Hon. Eric Uwakwe then urged youths of the community to be keep being productive, assuring them that the administration of the shared prosperity of Governor Hope Uzodimma, will work in harmony with the security operatives to ensure that related incident becomes a thing of the past.
‘’I know that the 21st century policing should thrive more on intelligence gathering, tactical operations, which will bring about clinical execution of assignment. With this in mind, our security operatives should adopt modern techniques in fighting crimes so as to reduce incidents of avoidable deaths especially of innocent youths’’ Hon. Uwakwe stated.
Alao speaking at the visit, the President of Ohaneze Youth Council, Hon. Igboayaka O Igboayaka condemned the unlawful act saying “I think this incident is a wake-up call to all that there is need for the police hierarchy to take a second look at the operations of their rank and file. A situation where men and officers of the police and indeed any security organization will willfully cut down the lives of our youths is unacceptable.”
“We should all speak against it. We must all rise against it. The police should realize that they are there to protect the citizens and not to send them to early grave under any guise’’
According to the Chairman of Imo Youth Forum, Hon. Achiever Darlington Onyelike, who is part of the delegation, hailed the prompt action of the authorities, calling on youths and youth organizations across the state to in rise in solidarity for the family of the deceased.
Responding on behalf of the family, the father of the deceased described the visit as a soothing balm, which the family needs in their moment of grief.
Mr. Mbagwu noted that the death of their son was painful to his family and friends, but it will serve as an eye opener for the country on the need to reorganize how the nation’s security operatives, especially the police operate.
He appealed to the state government to pay special attention to the security of lives of the citizens.
