By Chuks Eke
Lawyers from Ebonyi state practicing in Anambra, under the aegis of Anambra based Abakaliki lawyers association have condemned in strong terms and in it’s entirety the recent brutal shooting and killing of one Fabian Ugo, a 12-year old JSS 2 student in Onitsha who hails from Ebonyi state by men of Operation Udo Ga Achi, a security outfit established by Anambra state government and code-named Agunechemba.
Ugo, a student of Comprehensive Secondary School, Igidiagu Izzi, in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi state was shot dead barely a week ago by the security outfit along Sokoto Road within Onitsha Main Market while he was allegedly entering into the bush to defacate.
The shooting and killing of Ugo who travelled all the way from Abakaliki to spend his mid-term break with his uncle, Nnamdi Ugo, had sparked off protests from the traders and their customers who insisted that the Agunechemba operatives must take his lifeless body to Fegge Police Division for necessary actions.
At the Fegge Police station, his uncle, Nnamdi Ugo alerted the police that the operatives, after shooting Fabian dead even searched his pockets and took the deceased’s ATM card.
The source stated that on getting the information, the police were said to have immediately retrieved the ATM from the culprits before arresting two of the operatives involved in the shooting and killing.
The duo were later ferried from Fegge Police Division to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigations Department, CID, Awka where they are currently being detained, investigated and charges being prepared for legal action against them, while the remains of the deceased was deposited in the morgue.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Tochuckwu Ikenga had while confirming the incident, said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded at the state CID.
Condemning the incident, Chairman of Anambra based Abakaliki Lawyers Association, Barr. Victor Alo told newsmen at Nkpor, near Onitsha that law does not permit any armed security agent to shoot at people indiscriminately just on a mere suspicion that a person could be a criminal, more so when a person does not have any weapon or incriminating object in his or her possession.
Alo contended that rather than engaging in indiscriminate shooting, law enforcement agents should arrest a suspect on reasonable suspicion and hand over to the police for thorough investigation and possible prosecution if found culpable.
He therefore advised that all security operatives should be properly trained before they are allowed to carry arms.Alo further stated that the association is satisfied with the level of investigation at Homicide section at State CID and as well as thank the Commissioner of police Anambra state for the urgent actions in the matter.
Expressing his heart felt condolence to the bereaved family, Alo described the deceased Fabian Ugo as a promising young boy and urged the immediate family not to despair or panic for any reason as the association would ensure that justice must not only be done but must manifestly seen to be done in that regard,said Alo.m
