The Anambra state police command has reacted to reports claiming an official of the Directorate of State Services, DSS shot a yet-to-be-identified man dead in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state on Wednesday, March 15.
It was gathered that the deceased’s wife just delivered a baby and while he was preparing to go and visit his wife and the new baby in the hospital, the bullet hit him, after a suspect pursued by the security agents ran into his compound.
An eyewitness said the security operatives were on the trail of a fleeing cultist popularly known as “China”, who was also said to be a notorious criminal.
The incident thereafter generated a series of protests in the area as youths of the community took the corpse to the local government headquarters, demanding to see the local government chairman. They blocked the entrance gate to the local government secretariat with the corpse insisting they must see the chairman and that justice must be done.
In a statement released on Friday, March 17, the spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said the claims being made that a DSS operative killed the deceased are false. Ndukwe stated that the deceased was shot by a member of the Vigilante group in the area.
On receiving the report at about 0200hrs, the Police moved in swiftly and effected arrest of the assailant who was found with a Pump Action Gun. The assailant was disarmed and taken into custody for interrogation and comprehensive investigation. CP Election for Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye while commiserating with family of the deceased, wishes to assure the public that investigation into the homicide will be swift and thorough and the assailant arraigned in court to face justice. ‘’ Ndukwe said
He thanked the youths of Ogidi for ensuring their protest was peaceful. He also appreciated the traditional rulers who mediated to calm frayed nerves.