Nigeria police deny Eket killings

Nigeria Police Force in Akwa-Ibom state have denied allegations it extra-judicially killed four young men in Iket, on Christmas eve, during the Okon Day annual festival.

The State Police Public Relation Officer, DSP. Etim Dickson, in a phone interview with Nigeria Police Watch denied that the victims were killed by the police. He argued that police only stepped into a fracas to retrieve two bodies after a bloody clash by local youth groups.

News reports indicate that four young men were murdered – two died immediately while the other died in a hospital.

National Mirror reports that its correspondent witnessed the protests that followed the killings, and the dumping of bodies before the police station.

A resident of the area confirmed that two other persons shot by the police were rushed to the hospital but died on the way.

The police denies the killing saying “…the police was on ground to restore calm and took custody of the two dead bodies from the mob.”

Dickson argues that the victims died of machete wounds and not police bullets even though the police claim they are still investigating the allegations.

The Nigerian Police Force are known to use live ammunitions – very often – to control crowds.