Tragedy struck in Enugu, Enugu State capital on Sunday when a trigger happy policeman shot dead five innocent citizens and wounded four others now hospitalized.
The incident occurred at Golf Estate, GRA, Enugu, where a Police Inspector attached to Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 9, Umuahia, Abia State, started shooting sporadically, leaving five victims dead and four persons with gunshot injuries.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who visited the victims at ESUT Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu, where the injured are receiving treatment expressed shock over the dastardly act.
Gov. Ugwuanyi was received at the hospital by the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu and the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Hyacinth Onah.
A statement by the State Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh said the governor empathised with the victims and wished them quick recovery.
He also condoled with families of the deceased.
Gov. Ugwuanyi announced that his administration will bear all the medical expenses and deposited some money with the hospital to ensure that all that is required to treat the patients will be provided.
The governor equally charged the hospital management to ensure that victims receive adequate medical attention.
The Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force had in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed that the Police officer involved was “said to be on duty at RC Lotto Company located in the Estate” and “has been arrested and taken into custody pending the conclusion of investigation”.
The statement confirmed that “four of the persons said to have sustained gunshot injury are receiving treatment and five others whose injuries were critical, have been confirmed dead by doctors on duty and deposited in the mortuary for autopsy”.
It added that the CP has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (State CIID), to carry out thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident.
The CP also called on eye witnesses “to volunteer useful information to aid swift conclusion of the investigation and ens ure justice prevails”.