Some irate youths in Umuokereke Ngwa community in Obingwa local government area of Abia state went on rampage on Wednesday following the alleged murder of a commercial tricycle rider by a soldier.

It was gathered that a soldier attached to the Army checkpoint located at Ohanze Isiahia community, in the council area reportedly shot dead commercial motorcyclist identified as Chimaobi Uzuokwa Nwogu, for allegedly refusing to part with N100 bribe.

According to eyewitnesses’ account, the deceased had refused to give the soldiers at the checkpoint the N100 they had demanded, prompting one of the soldiers to chase him on another motorcycle.

The soldier was said to have trailed Chimaobi to his village in Umuokereke Ngwa community in the same Obingwa LGA and shot him dead in front of his father’s compound.

Chimaobi’s wife is heavily pregnant and may deliver, the eyewitnesses added.

One of the eyewitnesses said,

“We saw a soldier pursuing Chimaobi.

“We were still wondering what might have happened when the soldier shot him and he fell from his motorcycle.

“The soldier fled the scene immediately.

“Now, Chimaobi’s wife is heavily pregnant and may soon put to bed. He left three children, who is going to take care of them?”

Meanwhile, youths in the community have taken his corpse to Ohanze community where the soldiers’ checkpoint was located.

They also set the military checkpoint on fire, even as the soldiers watched without fighting back.

When The Punch correspondent visited the community, a contingent of mobile policemen was seen at a strategic area of the Opobo Junction as people hurried home to avoid being caught in the web.

The police were later joined by a convoy of military vans who arrested some of the protesting youths. The arrests further evoked outrage in the community.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Major Kadiri Aliu, was not successful as he refused to pick his calls; nor did he respond to text messages sent to his mobile number.