On Monday, the Abia State Police Command, affirmed the arrest of one Inspector Stanley Azuh attached to Ohuru-Ishimiri Police Division at Ogbor-Hill, Aba, for reportedly killing one Chibuisi Godwin.
It was reported that Chibuisi Godwin, a staff of Greenmac Energy Ltd, a Petroleum Company, was shot while the Inspector was imposing the ‘Stay at Home’ directive by Abia Government, meant to curb the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.
However, the incident happened in Ogbor-Hill, along New Umuahia road in Aba on Sunday evening. The deceased was said to have come out for work as usual, as his line of business was among those categorized as essential services, and not restricted by the lockdown directive.
As stated by the police source, Azuh, who was attempting to stop a vehicle that violated the stay-at-home order, mistakenly touched his riffle’s trigger, releasing the bullet that hit Godwin, who later died in the hospital.
Meanwhile, the Abia state Police Commissioner, Ene Okon, who confirmed the nab of the officer staed that the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has taken over the matter.
The Police Commissioner added that the police as an institution does not take such careless attitude to human life lightly.
“That police Inspector was arrested immediately and detained; as I am talking to you, SCID has taken over the matter and they are investigating the police Inspector for murder. We have our rules of engagement, we have our standards of operation and procedures and we have our own Force Order 237 as reviewed. That order has to do with when a police officer has to use his firearm and it will be justified. It’s not an excuse for you to say accidental discharge,” he said.
“A trained officer on such assignment should put his riffle on safety mode; the riffle has a safety mode and once you put it there, it will not just release anyhow. So, it is not an excuse that he mistakenly touched the trigger. That’s why we detained him and are seriously investigating the whole matter”.
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