On Monday, April 6, the Abia State Police Command confirmed the arrest of Inspector Stanley Azuh attached to Ohuru-Ishimiri Police Division at Ogbor-Hill, Aba, for allegedly killing one Chibuisi Godwin.
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Police inspector arrested for killing innocent civilian over ‘stay at home’ directive
No less an officer than a whole police inspector has been arrested to face the consequences of killing a civilian in the name of enforcing a ‘stay at home’ order.
Police inspector arrested for killing innocent civilian over ‘stay at home’ directive
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Reports say Godwin, a staff of Greenmac Energy Ltd, a Petroleum Company, was shot while the Inspector was enforcing Abia Government’s ‘Stay at Home’ directive, meant to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.
According to Gistree.com, 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 classified as essential services but met his untimely death.
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A police source is reported as saying Azuh, who was attempting to stop a vehicle that violated the lockdown order, had mistakenly touched his riffle’s trigger, releasing the bullet that hit Godwin, who later died in the hospital.
Abia State Police Commissioner, Ene Okon confirmed the arrest of the inspector, saying that the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has taken over the matter.
“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.
He emphasised that the police institution does not take lightly such a careless attitude to human life.
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“A trained officer on such assignment should put his rifle 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”, Okon added.
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