A 22-year-old University of Port Harcourt graduate, Anthony Obodo, dies after a police shooting in Port Harcourt that the family says raises serious questions. Protests follow the incident, with his father, Princewill Obodo, demanding justice and calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of his son’s death.
Obodo’s father alleges that the officers involved were paid to kill his son. He says the police deployment was initially linked to security for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Elekahia, but officers were later moved to the area where the shooting happened. He also claims that police authorities who visited the family acknowledged Anthony’s innocence.
Outlets also describe how the unrest is handled and the account of events. Youths stage protests and block roads around Agip Junction, Ada George, and tyres are set alight before the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, intervenes. The commissioner condemns the shooting, says the involved officers are in custody, and promises engagement between the family and the suspects. Eyewitness accounts described last Thursday’s incident around 5 pm, after Anthony allegedly failed to stop when flagged down and was hit by gunfire, followed by a vehicle crash.
