IG orders investigation into death of man shot seven days to his wedding

Police suspect absconded after incident, says PPRO

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of a 28-year-old Malaysian-based Nigerian, Nduka Friday Ego, who was allegedly shot on December 22, at close range by a police officer attached to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) station at Control Post axis, Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Andrew Enwerem, made the disclosure yesterday while speaking with an Owerri-based private radio, Hot FM.

Ego, who was said to be in company of his fiancée, and her mother, had gone into the filling station to buy fuel. He ran into a quarrel between the fuel attendant, manager of the station and customers over the alleged theft of the attendant’s GSM phone.

This attracted the presence of a police Inspector attached the station. The Inspector, one Michael Ude, was alleged to have shot and killed Ego in the ensuing melee. The cop was said to have absconded after the incident, according to the PPRO.

A source told The Guardian that the management of the station had allegedly directed that customers be frisked before leaving the station to ascertain who stole the handset. The bullets had pierced through his neck, leading to his instant death.

Enraged by the killing, youths in their hundreds, stormed the station and threatened to set it a ablaze, but the police prevented them. As at yesterday, the station was still under ‘lock and key’ on the orders of the security personnel, while the manager has remained in police custody. Manhunt has also been initiated to apprehend the fleeing Inspector.