A police Inspector identified as Afang Luke has accidentally shot dead a junior colleague, Corporal Chinonso Okafor, in Delta State.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 4:30 pm.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the Delta State Police Tactical Squad were on a routine patrol at Mosogar, Sapele when they intercepted some persons suspected to be cultists.

The men were said to have made an attempt to run away when they sighted the police team.

A police source told our correspondent that in a bid to arrest the men, Luke accidentally shot Okafor from the rear.

“Inspector Luke was trying to stop the boys from escaping, but he mistakenly shot Corporal Okafor at the back. It was an accidental discharge,” the source said.

The victim was immediately taken to the Central Hospital, Sapele, where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

Luke was arrested and currently detained at the Sapele Division of the police, while the two boys were also arrested and detained at the same station, our correspondent learnt.

Efforts to speak with the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, were unsuccessful.

Edafe did not answer several calls to his phone number, neither did he reply messages sent as SMS and WhatsApp text.

PUNCH Metro recalls that Inspector Nelson Abuante had committed suicide on December 21, after he mistakenly shot dead a colleague, one Inspector Monday Gbaramana, during an attempt to arrest a suspect in Rivers State.

On December 26, another police Inspector, Jonathan Okouromi, shot dead one Sergeant Abosele Akhere, both of the Edo State Police Command, after the deceased had arrested a suspected cultist. (The PUNCH)

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