Four arrested over inspector Princewill’s murder in Abia

On Friday, the Abia state Police Command has arrested four persons in connection with the murder of a police inspector, Princewill Divine,  Commissioner of Police in the state Mrs. Janet Agbede, confirmed in a statement.

She said five Police Mobile Force officers attached to 28 and 55 squadrons in the command deployed at Okagwe junction in Ohafia Local Government Area of the state were attacked by gunmen on Monday, September 7.

The CP stated that the incident took place at a bus stop pavilion located at the checkpoint where the policemen went to take shelter while it was raining.

She added that the hoodlums who were over 30 in number carted away three AK-47 rifles with some ammunition.

The statement read in part, “The criminals armed with guns, machetes and other weapons unexpectedly shot at the policemen and cruelly used machetes on them and the policemen retaliated in defence.

“One of the policemen, Inspector Princewill Divine, died instantly, another had his wrist cut off while others were left with varying degrees of injury. Four persons arrested in connection with the incident are helping in the investigation to ensure further arrests and recovery of police firearms.”

She added, “The suspect, attached to a construction company dualising the Aba/Ikot-Ekpene road, confessed that he killed the deceased on Tuesday September 8, 2020 in his village during an encounter with him.”

But the commandant of the NSCDC in the state, Samuel Fadeyi, said the man was shot while struggling with the gun with the official.

He said Otobong was in transit with two expatriates returning from Abia to Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State when the incident happened.

According to Fadeyi, they got to a bad portion of the road where a trailer had already broken down, causing gridlock.

Fadeyi said Otobong came out of the car to clear the road barricaded by some youths and shot into the air to scare them away.

He added, “Sensing danger of harm to himself and abduction or harm to his principals, the officer, Robinson Otobong, retreated but they surged at him with their cutlasses and shovels so much so that he had to fire a warning shot.

“The shot did not deter them as they rushed at him with sticks, machetes and shovels, trying to disarm him. It was in the ensuing struggle that the second shot was fired and the leader of the mob who grabbed the nozzle of the gun was shot.”