Delta’s ‘Amotekun’ kills trader, shoots another

From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Operatives of the recently inaugurated joint security outfit, Operation Delta Hawk (OPDH) have allegedly shot dead a woman around the new General Hospital area in Asaba, the state capital.

The victim, identified as Amaka Ohanaja was a petty trader who was in her shop along the road where she was hit by stray bullet fired by the operatives.

The operatives were chasing the occupants of tinted Lexus car who refused to stop when they were flagged down.

In attempts to demobilise the car, the operatives opened fire, with a bully straying to hit the late petty trader, while another bullet pierced the vehicle and hit the driver, one Joshua Ona.

As at the time of filing this report, the 30-year old Joshua Ona was receiving treatment at the hospital while the Lexus had been recovered to the headquarters of the OPDH in Asaba.

Public Relations Officer of the state police command, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya confirmed the incident in Asaba on Wednesday.

Onovwakpoyeya said the command deeply sympathized and condoled with the family of the deceased.

She explained that the occupants of the tinted Lexus car refused to stop, in suspicious manner, for routine checks but rather sped off towards a nearby bush.

“Thereafter, information received that a woman who was identified as Amaka Ohanaja a trader in her shop around the same axis was alleged to have been hit by stray bullet and consequently died.

“The incident is highly regrettable and condemnable. We wish to assure the family of the deceased and members of the public that police have no hand in it and that the incident will be discretely investigated and the culprit brought to book,” Onovwakpoyeya said in a statement issued in Asaba.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had earlier this month, inaugurated the joint security outfit comprising the police, army, civil defence and local vigilante to beef up security across the state.