The Rivers State Police Command, has denied reports making the rounds that some of its officers chased a young man identified as James Ubong into a swamp, which led to the loss of his life.
Ubong, a labourer, according to reports drowned in a swamp while trying to evade arrest by police officers in Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Spokesperson for the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, in a statement few days ago said the police had no hand in the death of the young man.
He said Police officers were only invited by a resident of the area to help compel the owner of the site to evacuate his sand blocking the area.
He said the young man fell into a pit after he tried to scale a fence when he spotted police officers.
“They were trying to clear the place that was blocked and our men were invited. It wasn’t as if the police were chasing him (Ubong); when our men advanced to the place, the workers all ran,” he said.
A relative of the deceased had accused the police of been responsible for the death of the artisan.
