A middle-aged man has been killed instead of a cow at Alor, Anambra State, the home town of the Minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige.
According to the report, both the police and the Department of State Service, DSS, have refused to take responsibility for the incident.
Onyeocha Umuokwu, the deceased was said to be mistakenly shot dead when an unknown security personnel allegedly fired a cow that was running away from the house of a prominent son of the area.
The security operative said to be attached to a VIP, missed his target and the bullet killed Umuokwu.
Speaking on the incident, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mohammed Haruna said: “The attention of the Anambra State Police Command has been drawn to a misleading report being circulated that one Onyeocha Umuokwu was allegedly shot by a police officer at Engineer Emeka Eze’s house on the 25/12/2019 in Alor Community, Idemili South LGA of Anambra State.
“The report probably orchestrated by mischief makers who want to portray the police in a bad light is totally misleading.
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“In order to clear ambiguity and to set the record straight, on the 25/12/2019 at the residence of one Engr Emeka Eze of Umuokwu village Alor, a DSS personnel whose identity is yet unknown attached to a VIP allegedly fired gunshot at a cow in a bid to stop it from escaping, but the bullet missed target and allegedly hit one Nnaemaka Nnabuenyi (a domestic staff of the said Engineer) popularly known as Onyeocha and the victim died on the spot.
“Following the incident, police detectives led by DPO Nnobi Division visited the scene but neither the Engineer nor the victim’s relative were willing to provide any useful information that will aid police investigation.
“However, the corpse was taken to the mortuary for autopsy and case is under investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident please.”
The PPRO in another statement just a few hours after the first said that it was unclear a DSS operative killed the victim — Following an objection by the DSS that the victim was killed by its member.
