Police Acknowledge Responsibility For Enugu-based Lawyer’s Death, Elias Ugwu

Police Acknowledge Responsibility For Enugu-based Lawyer’s Death, Elias Ugwu

The Kogi State Police Command has admitted to its role in the killing of Barrister Elias Ugwu, an Enugu-based lawyer, last week Friday, while extending condolences to the family…….READ ALSO Police Authorize Baker Hughes To Dispose Of Expired Explosive Materials

Ugwu was fatally shot by police officers while he was in the state to pay ransom for his kidnapped cousin, a few days before the tragic incident.

In a statement released to journalists in Lokoja on Thursday, the Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Anya, clarified that Ugwu’s death was a case of mistaken identity.

Anya explained that the police had erroneously identified the late lawyer as a member of an armed robbery gang that had robbed several banks the previous day.

The statement, titled “Setting the record straight,” outlined the sequence of events leading to the unfortunate incident. It detailed how police operatives, in collaboration with local vigilantes, encountered a vehicle matching the description provided by villagers.

Upon attempting to stop the vehicle, the driver refused to comply and attempted to flee, prompting the officers to fire shots at the tires, ultimately stopping the car. It was later discovered that the vehicle carried three individuals, including Barr. Elias Ugwu, who sustained injuries during the encounter and subsequently passed away while receiving treatment at the Maria Goretti Hospital Ayingba.

The surviving occupants of the vehicle, Chidi Anieke and Elias Ugwu, both of Nkanu and Ihiakpoka, Nsukka, clarified that they were in the area to pay ransom for a kidnapping victim and were unaware of the bank robbery incident in Ayingba.

The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, expressed regret over the incident and extended condolences to the deceased’s family. He emphasized that the unfortunate event could have been avoided if the occupants had complied with the police instructions to stop