The officers of the Ebonyi State Police Command have allegedly shot one person dead and injured three others in a clash between policemen and a soldier in the state.

The Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Adaku Uche-Anya, confirmed the incident on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

Uche-Anya said the victim was shot dead when a bullet went off from an officer’s gun during a scuffle between the policemen and a motorcyclist who she said claimed to be a soldier.

The police commissioner stated: “In response to the rising incidents of motorcycle theft and snatching in Abakaliki, officers from the command were conducting a routine patrol on the old Enugu-Abakaliki road near the Ugwuachara area when they stopped an individual riding a motorcycle to request the motorcycle’s particulars.

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“The individual claimed to be a soldier but was unable to provide identification. As the officers attempted to arrest him for this reason, he resisted and began to grapple with one of the officer’s rifles.

“This struggle resulted in an accidental discharge of ammunition, which tragically resulted in the death of one man and injuries to three others.

“Both the police officer and the individual involved in this incident are currently in custody. The police command extends its condolences to the family of the deceased.”

Uche-Anya assured the public that the police command would carry out a thorough investigation into the incident, saying any person found culpable would face the full extent of the law.

The Star