…assures thorough efforts to apprehend the culprits and ensure justice
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, psc (+), has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State CID, to launch a comprehensive investigation into the alleged shooting and murder of one Smith Odinaka, male, on October 13, 2024, around 1 a.m. The incident occurred near the Mercedes-Benz Company along the Enugu/Port Harcourt Expressway, Enugu.
According to a press statement issued to newsmen in Enugu by DSP Daniel Ndukwe, Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, CP Uzuegbu has assured the public that all necessary efforts will be made to identify and apprehend the perpetrators and to ensure that justice is served.
The statement revealed that preliminary findings indicate that the victim was driving a Mercedes-Benz car in the company of two of his male friends when a gunshot, allegedly fired by individuals suspected to be security agents, struck the vehicle. Smith Odinaka sustained a gunshot wound to his left hip. He was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead by the attending doctor, and his body deposited in the mortuary, pending an autopsy.
The statement from the police went ahead to further note that the ongoing investigation has not yet linked the crime to any police officer or police team, contrary to circulating reports.
“Nonetheless, intensive investigative efforts are underway to uncover the truth, and the findings will be made public once available”, Uzuegbu said.
Unconfirmed reports circulating online had it that the deceased, Ojinnaka Smith, an engineering graduate from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), the first son of his father and a business owner, was reportedly shot by the security operatives on his way home from an event in Enugu.
Witnesses claim Smith was left to die in his car after suffering from shock due to the gunshot wound. This tragic event has left his family and friends devastated, with widespread calls for accountability and justice.
The hashtag #Justice4Smith is gaining momentum online as the public demands answers.