83-year-old man slumps, dies as policemen prevent community meeting in Rivers

An 83-year-old man, Mr. Maxwell Acho Chukwu, allegedly described as the oldest man in the Mgbuoshimiri Community in Obia/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Saturday, reportedly slumped and died when some policemen stormed the venue of a community meeting and started shooting sporadically.

The people of the said community have called for the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the alleged killing of Chukwu.

According to Punch reports, three members of the community allegedly brought in the policemen to stop the meeting.

Mr. Ohazurume Chukwu, the President-General of Mgbuoshimiri Community Council said the policemen began to shoot into the air even when they (police) were told that members at the meeting were not cultists.

He said, “We were in a meeting in the morning when some people came with some policemen to invade the venue of our meeting. We tried to find out the reason and the policemen told us they were informed that the meeting constituted cult members.”
The president went further to say they told the policemen it was a community meeting but they insisted it was a cult gathering, probably because they have been induced.

“Thus, they insisted that they had to arrest some persons and we resisted. While we resisted, the policemen started shooting. They started shooting to the point that the oldest man in the community, Mr. Acho Maxwell Chukwu, fell down and died as a result of their shooting,” Chukwu said.

“The youths in the area who were angered by the incident, then embarked on a violent protest but the police brought it under control,” Chukwu stated.

He, however, called for the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the shooting.
Speaking on the matter, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, said the matter was already under police investigation.

Mohammad said, “This is a mere allegation. I can’t say much for now because the matter is under investigation.”