Petrol Attendant Killed in Abia State

A petrol attendant, Chibuisi Okameme, was on Sunday shot dead allegedly by a policeman, Inspector Stanley Asu.

The incident occurred opposite the Greenmac Energy Limited filling station on the New Umuahia Road, Ogborhill area of the Aba North Local Government Area of Abia State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that a diabetic patient was on his way to the hospital for treatment when some policemen attached to the Ohuru Isimiri Police Division, who were enforcing the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, intercepted his vehicle opposite the filling station.

Okameme was said to have intervened on behalf of the patient, who is a regular customer at the filling station, but Asu allegedly shot the 26-year-old around 1pm.

The bullet penetrated Okameme’s pelvis and he was soaked in a pool of his own blood.

His co-workers and the security guards at the filling station apprehended the inspector, while the victim was rushed to the Abia University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

The manager of the filling station, Nwabeke Ndubuisi, said Okameme died as doctors were battling to save his life, adding that security guards at the station prevented Asu and his colleagues from escaping.

Ndubuisi stated, “The man, who was going to the hospital, is one of our regular customers, but the policemen, who were enforcing the lockdown directive of the state governor, stopped him in front of our filling station and were about to take him to the station when Okameme went to plead with the policemen to leave the man alone. As both men were pleading, one of the policemen shot Okameme.

“The men didn’t engage in an argument with the five policemen; they were only pleading with them when Asu shot Okameme. The policemen were in a commercial bus and were about to flee when some of the members of staff and soldiers guarding our filling station stopped them. The soldiers instructed the policemen to take him to hospital and we all went to the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, where he died.”