By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Barely two weeks after a Police Inspector, Okolie Amechi, attached to the Police Mobile Force 29 Squadron in Amansea, Awka, was accidentally shot dead by his 10-year-old son who mistakenly pulled his AK-47 trigger where he kept the gun at home; another Police Inspector has again been shot dead in the state.
The latest incident occurred in the late hours of Wednesday, June 24, at the Police Observation Point along Onitsha/Owerri Expressway by Danaks Fuel Station in Uli, Ihiala Local Government Area of the state, where officers of the Police Mobile Force were on routine duty.
Confirming the unfortunate incident in a press statement issued on Friday, the Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, described the development as distressing and appealed for calm, assuring that investigation is already ongoing to unravel the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to him, the deceased police officer, who was on duty at the checkpoint, was mistakenly fatally shot by operatives of a ‘friendly force’ who emerged from an unmarked Toyota Sienna vehicle dressed in black attire — a scene that initially triggered suspicion and led to the exchange of fire between the two security agencies.
He explained that the situation had since been brought under control, while the case has been officially transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Awka for discreet and comprehensive investigation.
SP Ikenga further revealed that the State Police Command, headed by CP Ikioye Orutugu, has urged the public to remain calm and trust the command’s ongoing efforts to get to the root of the matter. He also assured that all necessary protocols were being followed to ensure justice, as well as to forestall a recurrence of such incidents.
He condoled with the family of the slain officer, and reiterated the command’s commitment to the safety and protection of all personnel and citizens, even as he emphasized the need for professionalism and caution among security operatives during field operations.
Meanwhile, media reports have it that the black-dressed shooters have been identified as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), who were reportedly attached to the DSS Office at Ihiala Local Government Secretariat.
Further details suggest that the fatal shooting occurred during a stop-and-search operation around 5:50 p.m. on the fateful day, along the Onitsha/Owerri Expressway by Danaks Filling Station in Uli.
According to eyewitness reports, the unmarked Toyota Sienna conveying the DSS operatives had emerged from a nearby track road and was driving against traffic, prompting the police patrol team to flag it down for questioning. However, the occupants allegedly declined to cooperate and instead opened fire on the police team, fatally hitting one of the officers, Inspector Bello Abdulahi, in his lower rib region.
It was gathered that the victim was immediately rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Ihiala and subsequently referred to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi, where he was confirmed dead upon arrival. His body has since been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.
This latest incident, coming barely two weeks after, has, however sparked off a chain of reactions and counter-reactions in the media space, as people share their views on the recurring concerns about inter-agency operations, discipline among Nigeria’s security agencies, and professional handling of arms.
