A 12-year-old boy was on Thursday allegedly shot dead by an operative of ‘Udo Ga-Achi’, the Anambra State security outfit.
The incident, which raised tension in the state, occurred at Ifejike Street, near Biafra Market, Onitsha, in Onitsha South Local Government Area of the state.
As of the time of this report, no reason was given for the shooting and the eventual killing of the boy.
However, residents say the security team had become notorious for such extrajudicial murder.
It was reported that the boy was sitting on a culvert separating Biafra Market from Nwangene Drainage, apparently on his way to use the toilet, when he was allegedly shot dead by the operative.
Having realised what they had done, the operatives reportedly attempted to flee the scene but were prevented by local vigilantes and an angry mob, a source said.
They were not allowed to leave the scene until they carried the victim’s lifeless body in their vehicle.
A vigilante operative, who identified himself as Nwadibia, told Vanguard that: “If Operation Udo Ga-Achi had not been forced to take the boy’s body, the blame may have been shifted to us.”
Meanwhile, angry residents say there was no justification for the killing of the boy, adding that it was completely avoidable.
“Till this moment, they have not given any reason for the shooting; they just wasted an innocent life,” a resident said.
The Anambra State Police Command is yet to issue any statement on the reported incident as of the time of filing this report.