AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
THE Ebonyi State Police Command has said that the victim of the explosion that rocked Afikpo community on Tuesday was not a suicide bomber but a mobile Police Officer on special deployment to Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Loveth Odah, in a statement, identified the victim as Inspector Idi Aminu, saying he lost his life in an accidental hand grenade explosion.
She explained that the MOPOL Inspector mistakenly hit the lead of his grenade, which was hanging on his waist, with his elbow, resulting in the deadly explosion.
However, residents had suspected his movement as suicide bomber and obstructed his entrance into Amaizu Amangballa Primary School in Afikpo North Local Government Area where the explosion would have killed him alongside many pupils and their teachers.
The PPRO noted that the police officer was an operative of MOPOL 32 and not a suicide bomber, adding that his remains had been evacuated to a mortuary.
On the accidental discharge at the old government House gate, in Abakaliki, the PPRO said that though a bullet was accidentally fired from an AK 47 rifle when police officers posted to the gate were cleaning their firearms, it never hurt or killed any of them.
Similarly, the Ebonyi State government said that henceforth, there would be no procession in whatever guise in the state at any point in time.
A statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Uchenna Orji, said that the state government had also banned mass gatherings except in essential service centres.
Orji noted that the ban was coming in view of the development in the tactics and dimensions adopted by criminal elements in their attacks on public facilities in Ebonyi State.
He noted that the ban on movement into and out of the state from 8pm to 6am was still in force, adding that security agencies and Ebubeagu operatives had been detailed to enforce all restriction orders issued by the state government.
“Members of the public are enjoined to give our security agencies and Ebubeagu useful information on the activities of criminal elements anywhere in the state,” he urged.
