The Imo state police command yesterday confirmed that hoodlums in military uniform killed one of its officers, Sergent Loveday Obilonu, at Ukwu Uratta road in Owerri, Imo state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, stated this to newsmen in Owerri, through the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana.

Abutu said that Sergent Loveday was among the officers deployed to protect the citizens of the state against criminal elements. In their preliminary investigation, he added that the officer was killed by the hoodlums after they (hoodlums) had identified him as a police officer and was armed with his gun.

However, the Imo police command has said that it has commenced investigations to apprehend the perpetrators.

He said: “Attention of Imo State Police Command is drawn to a video circulated on the social media with different versions of stories. The stories are not only false but mischievous.

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The person killed in the video is a serving Police Officer attached to the Operations Department, Imo State Command, deployed to protect citizens from criminal elements disturbing the peace of the state.

He is Force Number 447160 Sergeant Loveday Obilonu. He was enlisted into the Nigeria Police in 2007.

“The incident happened on 19th May 2021 at about 0745hrs at Ukwu Uratta road, Owerri.

The woman crying in the viral video is identified as kelechi Obilonu, the wife of the deceased sergeant. The preliminary investigation conducted into the incident revealed that the sergeant was killed by some hoodlums, dressed in military fatigue.”

“They identified him as a Police Officer and opened fire on him. No civilian casualty recorded. The Command is on the trail of the perpetrators of the crime in order to bring them to justice.

“The Commissioner of Police Imo State, CP Abutu Yaro, fdc extends his condolences to the family and friends of the deceased sergeant who paid the supreme price in the cause of serving the nation.

He assured the family that the perpetrators will not escape the weight of the law,” Police said.