By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the unjustifiable killing of a teenager in the state by operatives of the Agụnechemba security outfit (popularly known as Operation Udo Ga-Achị).
Recall that Onyokomita had earlier reported that officer of the Agụnechemba security, on Thursday, Democracy Day, shot dead a yet-to-be-identified young boy in the commercial city of Onitsha, around the Sokoto Road axis of the Main Market.
Reports have it that the boy was sitting on a culvert when the operative fired him from afar. It was further alleged that the security operatives wanted to flee in their vehicle when they saw that the young boy had died, but were, however, blocked by the angry residents and traders in the market, who insisted that they must carry the cọrpse to wherever they were going — a pressure they eventually succumbed to and loaded the boy’s cọrpse in their vehicle before leaving.
Confirming the killing, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Friday, said the police had arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the murder.
While noting that one Pump Action gun has also been recovered in connection with the incident, the Police Spokesman also confirmed that the murdered young boy was actually innocent, adding that the security operatives were shooting indiscriminately when bullet hit the victim.
“Police Operatives attached to the Onitsha Main Market Police Division leveraging on the support of some traders, have arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the murder of a 17-year old boy and recovered one automatic pump action gun.
“Eyewitness account revealed that the suspects, who were allegedly security operatives attempting to arrest a suspect started shooting indiscriminately and regretfully, a bullet hit the innocent boy,” he stated.
Continuing, SP Ikenga also stated that the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, condemned such avoidable and unprofessional behaviour of the security operatives, and has also ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for a comprehensive investigation.
