By Egufe Yafugborhi & Perez Brisibe

WARRI—THOUSANDS of Ovwian youths and women stormed the Divisional Police Station at Ovwian/Aladja in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, weekend, after a robbery suspect, who reportedly escaped from police station, trailed and murdered Bestman Okome, an indigene, who had earlier pleaded against the suspect’s release from police custody.

The suspect reportedly escaped from the police station, last Thursday, during interrogation, but the angry demonstrators accused the police of connivance with the suspect to aid his escape and murder Okome, alias Agbari.

Trouble started when a robbery gang invaded Ekrimowhe Quarters in Ovwian two weeks ago, terrorizing and robbing residents of cash and other valuables.

It was gathered that two weeks after the robbery, a victim simply identified as Kess, identified a member of the gang and dragged him to the community which in turn handed him over to a police anti-crime team, popularly known as Clement’s Squad, under the Ovwian/Aladja Division.
It was further gathered that after making some confessional statements, the police squad, led by one Clement, took the suspect to one of the buyers of property allegedly stolen from Kess.

Identified
In the process, Okome identified the suspect as an unrepentant criminal and pleaded with the police to ensure that the court remanded him so peace can return to the community.

Surprisingly, during further interrogation at the station, the suspected robber was said to have escaped and regrouped with his gang to murder the said Okome.

Meanwhile, community youths, women and elders have demanded the sack of the Divisional Police Officer, DCO 1 and 2, and the officer who led the arrest of the suspect.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Olorogun James Omori wondered how a suspected criminal could escape from the custody of several armed policemen, calling on the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to investigate the issue, produce the suspect and his gang who murdered Agbari.

He said: “We are sad with this news from the police over the escape of the hardened criminal; we want the new IGP to do his job in eradicating corruption as promised, by fishing out the robbers and his gang so that peace would return to Ovwian.”

Police explain suspect’s escape
Contacted, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, said the suspect did not escape as portrayed by the community.
According to her, “the suspect escaped while being interroga-ted and owing to his criminal involvement, the police did not shoot to avoid stray bullet shitting innocent persons.”

On the death of Okome, the PPRO said: “He was killed in different circumstances and his death has nothing to do with the escaped suspect.”