Mgbe - Agbogho festival of Ogidi turns bloody as Master Arinze Obigbo shot, 8 MOPOL men detained in Ogidi

Photo: Ogidi traditional Institution
www.odogwublog.com reports that for allegedly shooting a 17 year old boy,  Master Arinze Obigbo, in his abdomen during the Mgbe - Agbogho festival of Ogidi,  weekend at
Ugwunwasike round-about, by one of the eight mobile policemen posted
to the spot, all of the eight are said to be cooling off at Ogidi
police station.

Making this disclosure to newsmen, the President General of Ogidi,
Chief Chuka Jideofor Onubogu said, "the Divisional Police Officer,
DPO, Mr Mark Ijarafu, played a fatherly role, like I learnt from him
the officers involved are being detained at the Ogidi police station."

"there is no enough reason to shoot a boy of that age while they were
celebrating the Mgbe-Agbogho festival to herald the arrival of the
popular Nwafor festival"

"The eight policemen did not manage the situation well when the youths
with their masqurades were in the round-about celebrating and
displaying youthful exuberance".

"I learnt the police started firing into the air to scare them and as
they were running helter skelter, master Obigbo was being pursued by
one of the policemen and as  he  (Obigbo ) fell down, the policeman
rushed to him and shot him immediately on the abdomen and on sensing
danger all of the policemen ran awayand  as the news spread, the DPO
quickly took the boy to the hospital, first to Mayor hospital and
later to Multicare hospital and the community will foot the hospital
bill as he is responding to treatment when I went there".

Contributing, the Chairman of Uruezealor village where the boy hails
from, Nnamdi Okalor, who was flanked by their counsel, Barr. Pat
Agbata, demanded for justice to take its course on the particular
policeman that did the shoting while Okpato Ifeanyi who was among the
masquerade troupe when the incident happened vowed to identify the
particular policeman that shot the boy if called upon to do so.

When newsmen visited Multicare hospital at No. Umunya str, Omagba Phase
11, the Medical Doctor, S Ilochi confirmed that the boy had a bullet
wound and that he is responding to treatment.

Contacted on phone the DPO declined to make comment and reffered this
reporter to the Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO,

However, on contacting the State Commissioner of Police, CP, garba
Baba, on Phone he advised the family to visit him in Awka adding that
presently he was on transit.