Police Arrest 26-Year-Old Man Over Alleged Pushing of Teenager From Imo Building

The Imo State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old man, Ifeanyi Chukwu Joseph, for allegedly pushing a 17-year-old girl from a two-storey building in Owerri, leaving her critically injured.

The incident occurred around 1pm on Sunday, November 1, along Mbonu Ejike Street in the Ikenegbu area of Owerri, following an alleged altercation between the suspect and the teenager.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Monday, saying the victim sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

According to the police, the suspect was rescued from an angry mob that attempted to lynch him following the incident before he was taken into custody.

The command identified the victim as a relative of the suspect’s girlfriend.

In a separate interview with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Okoye disclosed that the teenager had suffered a brain injury and required the services of a neurosurgeon.

He also said the victim remained in critical condition, expressing hope that she would recover sufficiently to give her account of what happened.

The police spokesperson further disclosed that the suspect had provided an explanation of the incident during interrogation.

According to Okoye, the suspect claimed that he had accused the teenager of frequently bringing men into the apartment he rented for his girlfriend, leading to an altercation between them.

The police said the suspect also claimed that he flogged the teenager during the confrontation.

However, Okoye described the suspect’s account as questionable, stressing that investigators would not treat his explanation as conclusive.

He added that the police were seeking eyewitness accounts to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso, assured residents that the command would conduct a thorough investigation and take necessary steps to ensure justice.

The police also appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid taking the law into their hands and refrain from circulating unverified information about the incident.

The suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.