Some policemen reported to be on an escort assignment, on Saturday shot two persons in a hotel in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
It was learnt that one of the victims, who was hit by a bullet in the stomach, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The second victim, who was hit in the leg, was said to have been admitted for treatment.
While a source said the incident happened when policemen, numbering about five, attempted to give a retired senior officer compliment, another said the cops were in a joyous mood, chanting and shooting in the air when the two victims were hit by bullets.
“The policemen came into the hotel with one retired senior police officer. They were up to five in number. As they were gyrating inside the hotel, they shot in the air. Two persons were hit by bullets in the process. Two of the policemen took the victims from the hotel in their Hilux van to hospital.”
According to The Punch, on realising that one of the victims had died, the policemen were alleged to have, on arrival at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, bolted, leaving the corpse, the injured man and the van.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the incident, said the policeman, who fired the shots, had been arrested and was being detained at the command headquarters in Ado Ekiti.
“We have established that there was a shooting incident on Saturday night at one hotel in Ado Ekiti. Two persons were hit and one is dead, while the second man is receiving treatment. The corpse of the deceased has been deposited in a morgue.
Abutu, however, said the cops were not from the state police command.
“The policeman who was responsible has been arrested and is now in our custody. We are not going to hide anything. Though those involved are not from our command, the incident is within our jurisdiction and we promise that whoever is found culpable will be prosecuted accordingly.
“The state Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident and that we have commenced.”
