September 25, (THEWILL) – The Biogbolo area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital, was on Saturday in turmoil over the death of a 27-year-old man, Goodluck Oviekeme, while in police custody.
The deceased was alongside eight others for allegedly attacking a policeman and stealing his service rifle.
According to a statement released by the police, the deceased was arrested on Tuesday in connection with an armed robbery incident that occurred at Biogbolo area when hoodlums attacked a police patrol team, fatally injured Inspector Ugbotor Sunday and carted away his riffle.
A senior police source told THEWILL the deceased was arrested alongside the youth president of the troubled Biogbolo Community, Benjamin Karibo.
He told THEWILL the deceased was not tortured or shot by the police as some protesters claimed.
However, the deceased’s brother, Ebitonye Micheal, insists his brother is innocent of the crime. He said Oviekeme was murdered while in police custody and his body dumped at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Yenagoa.
The protesters, made up of Epie-Attisa indigenes resident in Biogbolo, staged a protest against his alleged murder. They accused the police of conducting a shoddy investigation and the extrajudicial killing of their kinsman.
Confirming the incident in a statement issued yesterday and signed by its spokesman, Asinim Butswat, the state commissioner of police, Echeng E. Echeng, has ordered a discreet investigation and autopsy to determine the cause of death.
According to the police, “the deceased suspect was arrested in connection with the armed robbery incident that occurred on 21 September, 2021, at Biogbolo, Yenagoa, when hoodlums attacked a police patrol team, fatally injured Inspector Ugbotor Sunday and carted away his rifle.
“Preliminary Investigations revealed that Goodluck Oviekeme was the mastermind of the attack on the patrol team. He was arrested on 22 September, 2021 at about 0300 hours, while in Police custody the suspect was observed to be running high temperature and was rushed to the hospital where he eventually died. The CP condoles with the family of the deceased and assures the general public that investigation has commenced and the outcome will be made public”.
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