Tension erupted, yesterday, at Ifejike Street, near Biafra Market, Onitsha, in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, following the alleged killing of a yet-to-be-identified 12-year-old boy by an operative of ?Udo Ga-Achi?, the Anamabra State security outfit.

The boy was reportedly sitting on a culvert separating Biafra Market from Nwangene Drainage, apparently on his way to use the toilet, when he was allegedly shot dead by the operative.

According to eyewitnesses, immediately after the shooting, the operative?said to be attached to Onitsha South Local Government?saw the lifeless body of the child in a pool of blood and attempted to flee the scene with his colleagues in a pickup truck.

However, an angry mob prevented them from leaving.

Security personnel and traders in the area, enraged by what they described as reckless killing, demanded that the operatives carry the victim?s body to their base at the local government.

The incident attracted more angry traders and local vigilante members who insisted that the security outfit operatives must not abandon the boy?s body at the scene.

Outnumbered, the operatives succumbed to pressure and carried the boy?s corpse in their pickup truck before being allowed to leave.

A vigilante operative, who identified himself as Nwadibia, said, ?If Operation Udo Ga-Achi had not been forced to take the boy?s body, the blame may have been shifted to us.?

Another eyewitness noted that the operatives are notorious for such extrajudicial killings and often deny their actions. ?The security men did the right thing by insisting they take the body. This killing was completely avoidable. There was no claim that the boy had done anything wrong. The fact that the operatives didn?t protest or resist when told to take the body shows they knew they were guilty. If they were innocent, they would have started shooting to disperse the crowd.

?We must commend the courage of the traders and vigilante officers who stood their ground to ensure the operatives were held accountable, at least to this extent.?

In a video circulating on social media, two Udo Ga-Achi operatives were seen carrying the deceased to their vehicle which bears operation number ANSG 0060, toll-free number 112 5111, and phone number 08002200008.

One of the angry traders, Magnus Okoli, condemned the killing, saying: ?There was no justifiable reason?other than stupidity and irresponsibility?for this killing. The boy was clearly a teenager, not even 15. If they suspected him of any wrongdoing, they should have interrogated him.

?He was bending down to defecate. That?s when they shot him, without any warning. It wasn?t an accidental discharge?it was a deliberate, calculated action. You can see from the distance between where they parked and where the boy was that the shooter aimed intentionally. This killing was avoidable. It was senseless, barbaric, and tragic.?

When Vanguard contacted Anambra State Police Command spokesperson Ikenga Tochukwu, did not respond to calls. A visit to the Fegge Police Station revealed that the Divisional Police Officer was not on seat at the time. (Vanguard)

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