Jonathan Okouromi, a police inspector with the Edo State Police Command, is reportedly on the run after shooting and killing his colleague, Sergeant Abosele Akhere, during an operation.
The incident, according to reports, occurred on Sunday in the Ikponwosa/Egban community of Edo’s Egor Local Government Area.
Men of the Edo State Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad and those of the Control Intelligence Rapid Response Squad had embarked on an operation to apprehend some suspected cultists.
According to our source, suspected cultists have recently terrorized the Ikponwosa/Egban neighborhood.
During the operation, Sergeant Abosele Akhere apprehended a known cultist and primary suspect in cult-related operations, who was simply designated as “Raggae.”
“All of a sudden, Inspector Jonathan Okouromi just lifted his gun, pulled the trigger, and shot Akhere from the back. Nobody knew what happened or why he did that. He just fired him from behind. The man fell immediately and started bleeding,” a reliable source disclosed over the phone.
According to the source, who did not want to be identified, the shot officer was brought to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where the doctor on duty confirmed his death.
The source added that Inspector Okouromi “escaped with his gun the moment he realized he had shot his junior colleague to death.”
In addition, Reggae, the arrested alleged cultist, fled, but Mr. Agbontaen Monday, a member of the Eiye Confraternity, was apprehended.
The police in Ugbowo division are still looking for the fleeing Inspector Okouromi, while the body of the dead police sergeant was deposited at the mortuary as the investigation proceeds, it was learned.
When contacted to comment on the incident, Chidi Nwabuzor, the Police Public Relations Officer in Edo State, stated he was on vacation.
“I am on holiday. When I get to the office tomorrow, I’ll get the details,” he said in a telephone interview with our correspondent.
