29th June, 2015
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
It was double tragedy last Saturday at a burial ceremony in Ivhiokhile quarters in Fugar, the administrative headquarters of Etsako Central local government area of Edo State, when a trigger-happy policeman went on rampage, shot and killed two nursing mothers.
A two-month-old baby strapped to the back of his mother however escaped death by whiskers as the police bullet narrowly missed him before hitting his mother on the neck. She was later rushed to Irrua Specialist Hospital, Irrua, where she died Sunday morning.
The woman identified as Sandra Imhaku, was said to have lost her husband last year while expecting the baby.
It was gathered that the second victim, Mrs. Saliu, a native of Fugar who reportedly came with her husband from Warri, Delta State, to attend the funeral of her in-law, late Mr. Itu Joseph, was also hit by bullet during the shooting and died instantly.
The unidentified happy-trigger cop said to be one of two policemen who allegedly accompanied a traditional ruler from Uzairue clan to the burial ceremony, was said to have suddenly shot sporadically in a commando style, as he held the riffle with one hand while at the same time he used the other hand to open the door for the traditional ruler to enter his car as they were about leaving the funeral venue.
In the process, strayed bullets from the shooting hit and killed the two nursing mothers inside a canopy they were seated among other guests at the burial.
The incident was said to have triggered a pandemonium as angry youths descended on the policemen, who managed to escape.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi who confirmed the incident, however said a case of accidental discharge which led to the death of the victims was reported to him on Saturday, adding that, “the officer has been arrested and investigation has commenced.”