POLICEMAN KILLS A FOOTBALL FAN IN EBONYI STATE

A football fan known as Obinna Igwe has been shot dead while two others sustained bullet wounds following fracas involving some policemen and a football team at a match in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The football match which was between Ndufu Alike and Ndufu Echara teams was the final of a Unity Cup competition organized by the Chairman of Ikwo Local Government Area, Elder John Nnabo, at Urban Secondary School Ndufu Echara.

An Eyewitness told Radio Nigeria that trouble started when the Centre Referee issued a red card to an Ndufu Alike player which eventually resulted in his team conceding a goal in the second half.

According to him, the development did not go down well with the dismissed player as he returned to the pitch and launched attack on the centre referee along with other players on the bench.

The Eyewitness alleged that the incident resulted in a rampage by some youths of Ikwo who almost had a showdown with the police if not for the intervention of some public office holders in the area.

One of the stakeholders, Mr. Onyekachi Nwoba, condemned the use of live ammunition by the police pointing out that their action was not in line with rules of engagement.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Mrs. Loveth Odah alleged that the fan was killed when the rampaging youths attempted to snatch a rifle from one of the policemen.

Mrs. Odah explained that normalcy had returned to the area as the Commissioner of Police in the State had deployed more policemen to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

Radio Nigeria gathered that the remains of the dead fan have been deposited in a mortuary while those injured are receiving treatment at hospitals while two police officers were also injured during the incident..

AMECHI ODO