By Christian George
An Inspector of police in Imo State, identified as Augustine Ukegbu, has been reportedly killed by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
According to The PUNCH, the inspector was said to have travelled to his home town, Umuoshike Ogbor in the Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the state to celebrate Easter with his family.
A source who pleaded anonymity, stated that the inspector was kidnapped from his house upon his arrival from his base in Owerri and was later found dead in a bush along Mbutu in the Aboh Mbaise LGA.
The source said, “Inspector Augustine Ukegbu who was serving at Orji police divisional headquarters went home to celebrate Easter with his family at Aboh Mbaise. Around 11 pm, on April 8, some gunmen riding in a Lexus jeep came and kidnapped him from his house in the village.
“The abduction was reported at Oke Ovoro police Division. The jeep he was kidnapped with was later found abandoned along the Mbutu Road in Aboh Mbaise. Policemen visited the scene and the surrounding bush was searched and the inspector’s corpse was found.”
The source said that the inspector’s corpse had been deposited in a mortuary in the area by some police operatives and the Lexus jeep he was kidnapped in was recovered by his colleagues.
Another source expressed worry over the killing of the inspector as he had seen the deceased day before he travelled to his village.
He said, “I saw Inspector Augustine in Owerri and he told me he was travelling to celebrate Easter with his family at Mbaise. We exchange pleasantries and I wished him journey mercy. He was serving at Orji police divisional and had served at the headquarters in Owerri. He was an operative of the Special Weapons and Tactics Department. I am saddened by his death.
The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, said that an investigation has commenced into the killing of the officer.
