Shoot-out in Abia govt house – One Shot dead

Posted by admin Abia, Latest Politics, State News Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

Gov. Orji

As shoot-out involving security details of Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, has led to the death of one mobile police officer. Another is reportedly on danger list.

The incident, which happened in the early hours of yesterday at the police quarters of Government House, was said to have rattled government functionaries, who were doing everything possible to bring the situation under control.

A police officer, identified as Corporal Umoru Mohammed was at the centre of the tragedy. Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia are now battling to save his life.

He was alleged to have shot dead Corporal Clement Amachi, who shares the same pilot vehicle 08 with him in the governor’s fleet.

Amachi hails from Ohanku, Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State, while Muhammed’s state is yet to be ascertained.
Muhammed was said to have shot Amachi at very close range, while he was relaxing in his room, watching a late night movie.

Daily Sun later gathered that the shooting might not be unconnected with a gift allegedly given to the security details by the governor.
A hospital source told Daily Sun that the cause of the shoot-out was a N2.5 million gift given to the security details by the governor after a trip, and Mohammed was allegedly short-changed in the sharing.
He was said to have explained this to doctors before he was wheeled into the theatre to be operated upon.
According to the source, Mohammed said they had been cheating him in the past and that this time around, he was determined to square it up with his colleague who he suspected was behind the cheating.
Mohammed was alleged to have gone into Amachi’s room and shot him severally on the head at about 2.00 am, while the latter was watching television.

Daily Sun gathered that after he had confirmed that Amachi was dead, Mohammed stormed out of the house, with his AK 47 assault rifle, shooting sporadically as he walked towards the main gate of the government house.
It was after he had expended the bullets in his gun and wanted to change to another magazine that he was shot and disarmed by other security operatives around.
A source said Mohammed was shot in the leg, but another close to FMC where he was being treated told Daily Sun that he was shot on the right side of his rib and the bullet pierced through and came out from his lower abdomen.

A patient at the hospital said when Mohammed was brought to the hospital, he was too violent and almost refused to be treated by the doctor.
“He even fell on the floor of the hospital while he was refusing to be attended to,” the source said.
The doctor in charge of accident and emergency department at the FMC, Umuahia, Dr. Uche Aguocha said Mohammed had been operated upon.
However, the state government reacting to the issue said it was a personal thing between the two men involved, adding that the state governor was on top of the situation, as he was meeting with the security agencies in the state.

Speaking on behalf of the state government, the media aide to the governor, Ugochukwu Emezue, said the governor did not discriminate over where any of his aides come from and that he had been treating everyone of them on equal terms.

According to Emezue, the governor had condemned the act of the policeman, shooting and killing his colleague, even as he condoled with the family of the deceased over the sudden demise of their loved one.
“The truth is that the man in question is dead and Mohammed is critically ill and is still at the hospital. When he recuperates, he will tell us the true position of things. Like I said, it is a personal thing and he is the only one that can now tell us what to believe,” Emezue said.

When contacted on telephone, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the police command was aware of the shooting and killing and that the issue was being investigated.

-Sunwp_posts