One killed, three injured as policemen, soldier clash in Ebonyi
From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki
A Labourer seeking for a daily job has been shot dead while three others sustained bullet wounds following a clash between a soldier and policemen in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
The incident occurred on Wednesday morning in Ugwuachara, Ebonyi local government area of the state.
The deceased was hit by a stray bullet when a soldier on mufti was dragging a gun with policemen on stop and search patrol.
It was gathered that trouble ensued when the soldier who rode on a bike refused to be searched by the policemen who allegedly insisted on searching him.
The State Commissioner of Police, Adaku Uche-Anya, confirmed the incident.
She said the policemen were on stop and search patrol and stopped the soldier who was on a motorcycle to search him which caused scuffle between him and the policemen in the process.
“The soldier was trying to disarm one of policemen and the bullet went off and hit a by-stander who was there. It was not as if the policemen opened fire on by-standers. What happened was that during the scuffle, the bullet went off and hit the by-stander.
“One person died and three injured but they are responding to treatment in the hospital.
“We have confirmed the identity of the soldier, he is a soldier serving in Kaduna. Both the soldier and the policemen are in our custody”, she said.
