Men of the Special Anti-robbery Squad Enugu, have allegedly
killed a 27-year-old student, Mr. Nnabuike Nnaji, of the Institute of
Management and Technology, Enugu. Nnabuike was said to be studying
Purchasing and Supply (HND I) before his death.
*A file photo of SARS operatives
The
incident occurred late last Saturday night, at Ibeagwa-Nike community
in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. It was uncovered on
Monday that the late Nnabuike was killed during a traditional wedding
ceremony.
The shooting allegedly took place seconds after an
indigene of the community, Ndubuisi Ugwu, led a team of SARS police
officers to the venue of the traditional wedding ceremony. It was said
to be an offshoot of a communal crisis on Ibeagwa-Nike since 2008.
An
eyewitness craving anonymity said, “Immediately Ugwu pointed out the
deceased to the SARS team, they shot at him instantly, on the left side
of the stomach.”
The remote cause of the crisis, residents disclosed, had to do with the booming sale of land in the community.
When
newsmen visited the community on Monday, soldiers were seen at
strategic positions and manning several points within the area. Many of
the youths had allegedly fled.
At the home of the deceased
sympathisers were gathered, condoling with the parents, Elder Patrick
and Cecilia Nnaji. Recalling the incident, Patrick said that they had
all gone for the traditional wedding of a member of their community on
Saturday.
He added that he returned to his house later in the evening but at about 8pm, he heard spontaneous gunshots.
He said, “The gunshots sounded like it was coming from a war front. At that point, I realised my son hadn’t returned home.
“Sunday,
his friend, called Nnabuike’s phone thrice but he didn’t answer the
calls. At about 10pm, somebody answered the call and told us Nnabuike
was hit by bullets and that they were in a hospital.
“I was told
that after the SARS operatives had shot him, the military men stationed
in Ibeagwa, retaliated. Ugwu, who led the policemen to the scene,
disappeared. The matter was later reported to the police by the
Umuanekeode clan.”
Ugwu, who spoke to our correspondent on
telephone, admitted that he had brought the SARS operatives but denied
pointing at Nnabuike, but at an entire group that he allegedly had
problems with previously.
He said, “It was as a result of mob attack on the policemen by Nnabuike’s group that made the police shoot him.”
Spokespersons
for 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu, Col. Hamza Gambo, said
no police officer from the scene of the incident was in the army’s
custody.
Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Mr.
Ebere Amaraizu, also said that no police officer was being detained by
the military.
Amaraizu said investigation was being conducted
by men of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Enugu to unravel
the circumstances behind the incident. He said, “We would certainly
speak to the press as soon as we are done with our findings.”
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