Eyewitnesses to the Sunday’s shooting to death of five persons at the Gulf Estate, GRA Enugu have said the killer police officer who carried out the shooting blamed unknown gunmen after perpetrating the act.
Two of the eyewitnesses Uju and Martha also debunked claims in some quarters that the officer was drunk, saying that they had never seen him drink alcohol.
“He shot two girls who were maids from the window, but the cook who also sustained gunshot wounds ran to the toilet to hide. He thought the cook had died before going to shoot the gateman and two other persons. It was cook who called the Blue House to alert them of the shooting.
“When his fellow officer came and told him that he heard he was the one shooting, he denied, telling him that it were unknown gunmen,” Uju said.
According to Martha, everyone at the estate used to relate well with the officer who was guarding a lotto company.
She said that they used to relate well, adding that the police officer had never shown any sign of mental health issues.
“When the tactical squad came, he was helping them to look for the unknown gunmen until the cook who saw him break the window glasses came out and said he saw him carryout the shooting. It was then that the tactical squad arrested him”.
Martha said that three persons, comprising of two girls and the gateman identified as Joshua, died instantly while one Mr Orji and other died later after the hospital refused to treat them for lack of police report.
The police command in Enugu has refused to reveal the identity of the killer-police officer.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Aliyu, had said after the shooting that investigation had begun.
In a statement issued by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, Aliyu said “The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu, has ordered the deputy commissioner of police in-charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department to carry out thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident.
“The incident involved a police inspector attached to the Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 9, Umuahia, Abia and said to be on duty at RC LOTTO Company located within the Golf Estate.
“The commissioner, who made the order after visiting the hospital where four of the persons said to have sustained gunshot injuries are receiving treatment.
“Five others, whose injuries were critical, have been confirmed dead by doctors on duty and deposited in the mortuary for autopsy,’’ he said.
The CP also directed the swift conclusion of the investigation of the incident to aid further necessary actions by the police authorities.
The commissioner sympathised with relations and friends of the dead and urged them to remain calm and cooperate with the command in the investigation.
He called on eye witnesses at the scene of the incident to volunteer useful information that would aid the thorough and swift conclusion of the investigation..
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who was at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital to visit the wounded expressed shock over the dastardly act.
The governor empathised with the victims and wished them quick recovery.
He also condoled with families of the deceased.
Gov. Ugwuanyi announced that his administration will pay all the medical expenses and deposited some money with the hospital to ensure that all that is required to treat the patients will be provided.
Gov. Ugwuanyi equally charged the hospital management to ensure that victims receive adequate medical attention.
