FCT Police detains officer over accidental discharge

By Innocent Raphael

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has detained an officer after an accidental discharge led to the death of one Oyebuchi Anene.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at approximately 9:45 p.m. in the Byazhin area of Abuja.

According to a witness, trouble started after the late Anene was involved in a minor accident with an okada rider.

He reportedly settled with the bike rider and his passenger and was about going into the nearby estate where he resides when policemen arrived the scene.

The officers had reportedly asked him to follow them to their station, but he refused on the grounds that the issue had been resolved while the bike rider and his passenger had left.

During the argument, a policeman was said to have shot the deceased at a close range. The victim was rushed to Kubwa General Hospital, from where he was referred to National Hospital, Abuja, but he succumbed to the injury..

Confirming the incident in a report, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, on Friday, disclosed that the Commissioner of Police Benneth Igweh, has ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The report also stated that the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department has been directed to conduct an immediate and discreet inquiry.

Reacting to the development, Commissioner Igweh expressed his profound condolences to Anene’s family and the public, condemning the officer’s actions as unprofessional and disheartening.

He further assured that swift justice would be served.