The Anambra State Police Command has denied the rumor that Department of State Service security guards were involved in the March 16 killing of a middle-aged man in Ogidi.
The command announced this in a statement on Friday through its spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, and added that the Ogidi homicide was committed by a vigilante member, not DSS officers as had been falsely claimed.
The statement read, “The attention of our Command has been drawn to a misleading story purporting that security agents from DSS were responsible for the murder of a middle-aged man in Ogidi on March 16, 2023.
“The Command owes a duty to the public to correct the erroneous report.
“The deceased was shot by a member of the Vigilante group in the area. On receiving the report at about 0200 hrs, the police moved in swiftly and effected the arrest of the assailant who was found with a Pump Action Gun.
“The assailant was disarmed and taken into custody for interrogation and comprehensive investigation.”
Aderemi Adeoye, the state’s election commissioner of police, expressed his condolences to the victim’s family while assuring the public that the homicide would be thoroughly investigated and that the perpetrator would be brought before a judge to be brought to account.
He expressed his gratitude to the Ogidi youngsters for ensuring the protest was peaceful.
He also valued the traditional leaders who acted as mediators to soothe ruffled tempers.
However, the CP asked the populace to uphold the law and reassured them that the police will always defend their basic human rights.
