CP Samuel Adegbuyi |
It
was double tragedy last Saturday at a burial ceremony in Ivhiokhile
quarters in Fugar, the administrative headquarters of Etsako Central
local government area of Edo State, when a trigger-happy policeman went
on rampage, shot and killed two nursing mothers.
A two-month-old
baby strapped to the back of his mother however escaped death by
whiskers as the police bullet narrowly missed him before hitting his
mother on the neck. She was later rushed to Irrua Specialist Hospital,
Irrua, where she died Sunday morning.
The woman identified as Sandra Imhaku, was said to have lost her husband last year while expecting the baby.
PM News reports that the second victim, Mrs. Saliu, a native of Fugar who
reportedly came with her husband from Warri, Delta State, to attend the
funeral of her in-law, late Mr. Itu Joseph, was also hit by bullet
during the shooting and died instantly.
The unidentified
happy-trigger cop said to be one of two policemen who allegedly
accompanied a traditional ruler from Uzairue clan to the burial
ceremony, was said to have suddenly shot sporadically in a commando
style, as he held the riffle with one hand while at the same time he
used the other hand to open the door for the traditional ruler to enter
his car as they were about leaving the funeral venue.
In the
process, strayed bullets from the shooting hit and killed the two
nursing mothers inside a canopy they were seated among other guests at
the burial.
The incident was said to have triggered a pandemonium as angry youths descended on the policemen, who managed to escape.
The
State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi who confirmed the
incident, however said a case of accidental discharge which led to the
death of the victims was reported to him on Saturday, adding that, “the
officer has been arrested and investigation has commenced.”