Protests in Anambra as suspected DSS personnel shoots man dead

An official of the Directorate of State Services, DSS yesterday allegedly shot a yet-to-be-identified man dead in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the deceased’s wife just delivered of a baby and while he was preparing to go and visit his wife and the new baby in the hospital, the bullet hit him, after a suspect pursued by the security agents ran into his compound.
An eyewitness said the security operatives were on the trail of a fleeing cultist popularly known as “China”, who was also said to be a notorious criminal.
The incident thereafter generated series of protests in the area on yesterday as youths of the community took the corpse to the local government headquarters, demanding to see the local government chairman.

They blocked the entrance gate to the local government secretariat with the corpse insisting they must see the chairman.

Sources in the area who spoke to journalists said, “An innocent man was shot dead by SSS this morning. The security operatives were looking for a cultist who ran into the deceased’s compound.

“The man just woke up and they were about to pray, but he excused himself to urinate outside, and the next thing was gunshot which killed him instantly”.

“We heard the security operatives were claiming they thought it was the man they were chasing that they shot. The dead man didn’t even know someone ran into his compound”.
“He just came out to urinate before going back to join his family members for the morning prayers. He had also planned of going to see the wife who put to bed early this morning. He had not even seen his new born child. He is himself an only son too”.

It was gathered that the protesting youths were barred from gaining entrance into the local government secretariat as soldiers blocked the gate immediately, thereby stopping everybody from entering.

Confirming the incident, the state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said law and order had been restored by the police.

“The deputy commissioner of Police in charge of operations led operatives to the Ogidi community, following a protest by the community members alleging a member of the security operatives shot one of the indigenes in the community.

“Meanwhile, law and order have been restored in the area and the suspect has been arrested with the arm recovered. Further details shall be communicated, please,” Ikenga added.
Meantime, DSS have denied killing anybody in the area.

State Director of the Agency, Enock Bawa who made the denial in a press statement, said it was local vigilante operatives that actually did the shooting.

Vanguard