ON Thursday, April 9, 2020, ten days after Nigeria entered a partial lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officers of the Nigeria police, army, correctional service and others had extra-judicially killed 13 while enforcing the curfew – the virus had only claimed six lives by then. By May 4, when the government eased the lockdown, about 20 persons had been killed in similar circumstances. For three months, investigative journalist, Kemi Busari, followed the trails of these arbitrary killings which have left many families devastated, with no hope of justice. This is the last part in the series.
Umuocha is located in Mbaitoli Local government area of Imo state in Nigeria. Residents of the community would not forget in a hurry the incidences occasioned by the EndSARS protest that took place in October, 2020, which led to fracas, unending pain and tears that still plague the land as at the time of this report.
‘’The frantic strides weren’t enough to save this victim. Soon a bullet hit Joseph right inside the car and then another when he attempted to crawl to safety. He died on the spot…’’
