Cosmas Ugwu, a police officer with the Imo State Police Command, has reportedly been shot and killed by his lover.
Ugwu’s 23-year-old girlfriend, Amanda Uchechi Ugo, an Imo State native from Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, shot and killed him on Tuesday.
According to reports, the incident at the Ezinihitte Area Command happened on Boxing Day at 6:30 p.m.
Three gunshots were reportedly heard by counter-duty officers from the room where the deceased officer was staying.
“When police officers ran into the room to see what was going on, they found Corporal Ugwu lying in a pool of his blood. The girl shot him three times on his chest and his left hand. He was rushed immediately to Evergreen Hospital in Ezinihitte, where he was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty,” a source told newsmen on Wednesday.
It was gathered that the deceased had a serious fight with his girlfriend, and in the course of the altercation, the girl reached for his rifle, pulled the trigger, and shot him three times.
The source added, “Nobody actually knows what went wrong between the two, but how the girl was able to use a police rifle successfully is still a surprise to many. Maybe Ugwu was the one who taught her.”
While the investigation into the murder is still ongoing, the dead officer’s remains have been placed at the Obizi mortuary.
The suspect is being held by the law enforcement agents pending questioning and potential legal action.
Henry Okoye, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the killing.
He stated that the police were making every effort to determine the true circumstances of the occurrence.
“Yes, the incident happened. A policeman was allegedly shot dead by his girlfriend. He was serving at Ezinihitte Mbaise. Currently, the girl involved has been arrested. We are doing everything to ensure we investigate the matter, ascertain the facts, and possibly arraign the suspect in court,” Okoye stated in a telephone conversation.