Four others were injured in the shooting by the police officer

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 13, Muri Musa, on Friday approved the dismissal from service of a police inspector, Edem Ebong, for allegedly killing five people in Enugu State, Nigeria’s South-east, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The officer, Mr Ebong, allegedly went berserk, shot and killed five persons and injured four others at Golf Estate, Enugu metropolis, on June 20.

NAN reported the police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, as saying in a statement on Friday that Mr Ebong would be prosecuted.

The dismissed officer was attached to the Special Protection Unit Base 9, Umuahia, Abia State, and was on duty at a lottery company located within the Golf Estate, Enugu, at the time of the incident.

How the shooting happened – Victim’s wife

Oluchi Orji, the wife of one of the dead victims, narrated how the shooting happened, according to a report by the Guardian newspaper.

She said, “On Sunday, at about 9.00 a.m., the MOPOL living with white men got up with his gun. He opened the glass of the window of the room in the compound occupied by some of the workers who were still asleep and shot two of them to death.

“The other two women were hit on their breasts. He moved from there to the room of the cook and shot her. Thinking the cook was dead, he left her and moved back to the compound and discovered that the gateman, Joe, was at the car park. He shot him twice and he died.

“He went outside the compound and saw a security man of the neighbour and killed him. He saw another boy who went to dispose of refuse and shot him, as well as a mechanic in the workshop around the neighbourhood. He went to the neighbour’s house and started knocking at their door and asking them to come out. One of them came out and he shot at him but missed.”

Continuing, Mrs Orji said, “My husband was washing in our compound but did not come out when he heard the gunshots. Now after the gunshots, my husband opened the gate and saw the MOPOL man. He is our neighbour. So he went in and wore his clothes and went to meet him. He greeted him and told him that he heard gunshots and wanted to know whether he knew about it.ⓘ

“He pushed my husband away, shot him three times.”

Mrs Orji said the officer called other officers working in the neighbourhood and requested them to come over that some unknown gunmen had invaded the area.

She cried that her husband was killed by an officer “who is supposed to protect him”.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State had described the incident as “sad” and “unfortunate”.

Mr Ugwuanyi visited the survivors at the ESUT Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu, where they were receiving treatment.

‘Officers who breach rules of engagement will be dealt with’

Mr Ndukwe, an assistant superintendent of police, said that the commissioner of police in Enugu appreciates residents for their understanding and patience while the disciplinary trial and investigation lasted.

“The commissioner has reiterated (his) commitment to always deal decisively with police officers found culpable in disciplinary offences against extant codes of conduct, rules of engagement and standard operating procedures of the Nigeria Police.

“This is more if the issue concerns respect for fundamental human rights of citizens,” he said.

NAN