#EndSarsProtests: DPO Cocks Gun, Threatens Protesters In Imo

There was palpable chaos in Owerri, the Imo State capital where End SARS protesters comprising mainly youths took to the streets to protest against the crimes committed by some members of the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

One of the youths protesting for the scrapping of police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, on Thursday in Owerri, Imo State, started shouting “Shoot us!” when a Division Police Officer, DPO, cocked his gun and acted like he was going to shoot.

Channels TV reported that the protesters had gathered around the popular Imo State University Junction in Owerri, bearing carrying placards with various inscriptions and chanting solidarity songs.

However, officers of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, were on the ground to disperse the gathering and a DPO got into an altercation with a protester. As the argument became heated, the DPO whose name was said to be Obioma Obi, cocked his gun and gestured like he was going to shoot the protester, who began screaming “shoot us!”.

After a short back and forth, reminisce of the anti-SARS protests across the country, the protesters were dispersed with heavy teargas. Reacting to the incident, the state Police Commissioner, Isaac Akinmoyede, said in dispersing the crowd, the officers were only doing their job.

Akinmoyede told newsmen that the policemen were at the venue of the protest to prevent any breakdown of law and order in the state, as the actions of the protesters were already disturbing the free flow of traffic. He, however, promised to take disciplinary actions against Mr Obi for pulling a gun on the protesters, stressing that the action of the DPO is not acceptable to the Nigerian Police.

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He said the Force is meant to be civil to the members of the public, adding that even though he was trying to shrug off an intending mob action, the officer should have been more civil.