It is not only unknown gunmen and bandits that are now becoming huge threat to the lives and property of Nigerians as a drunken security personnel dangerously demonstrated in Enugu State on Sunday.
Reports said arising from his drunkenness, a particular police Inspector attached to RC Lotto Company at Golf Estate, Government Reserved Area (GRA), Enugu metropolis went berserk, shooting dead five persons in the process.
It was gathered the unfortunate incident that has left Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi terribly shocked, also saw four other persons injured in the shooting.
The Police Inspector attached to Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 9, Umuahia, Abia State, was said to have started shooting sporadically, leaving five persons dead and four others with gunshot injuries.
He was to have started behaving strangely after becoming drunk and uncontrollable by those around. However, the harm was already done before some colleagues and those around could disarm him and prevent further deaths and injuries.
According to the reports, Governor Ugwuanyi who visited the injured victims at Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu, expressed shock over the incident.
The governor, who was received at the hospital by Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu and the Chief Medical Director, Professor Hyacinth Onah, condoled with families of the deceased and wished the injured persons quick recovery.
In a statement issued by the State Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, Governor Ugwuanyi said the State government will foot all the medical expenses for those injured in the incident.
He equally charged the hospital management to ensure the victims receive adequate medical attention.
Also, a statement by the Enugu State Police Command said the police officer involved in the shooting incident “has been arrested and taken into custody pending the conclusion of investigation”.
The statement signed by Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said; “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”.
He said the State Police Commissioner has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (State CIID) to carry out thorough investigation to unravel circumstances surrounding the shooting incident.
The Command spokesman further said that the Commissioner is calling on eye witnesses “to volunteer useful information to aid swift conclusion of the investigation and ensure justice prevails”.
