The Benue Police Command has commenced an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of a final-year student of Kwararafa University in Wukari, Taraba State, Ahenjir Emmanuella, who was allegedly killed by a stray-bullet shot by its officer.
Police said that the investigations is targeted at clearing the air on what transpired before, during and after her death after the deceased student’s friends alleged that she was shot by a police officer on stop and search duty.
The investigation announced by the police on Saturday has calm the tension that was brewing after the young lady was pronounced dead by medical experts at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, where her body was also deposited for autopsy.
Ahenjir was allegedly shot by the law enforcement officers from the Makurdi E Division during a stop-and-search operation at Wurukum Roundabout, Makurdi, yesterday.
An occupant of the vehicle, Apase Keghter, who was located at the hospital and taken in for questioning, narrated that they were returning from a club at Newcastle Event Centre and admitted they failed to stop at the checkpoint but denied firing any shots at the police.
According to him, they were fired upon by the officers, and they attempted to get Emmanuella to safety by driving her to Welfare Quarters. After noticing a flat tyre, they flagged down a commercial vehicle to take her to the hospital.
Human rights activist, Ukan Kurugh, described the incident as “another unacceptable loss of innocent life,” urging authorities to ensure justice for the young woman.
To end the argument, the Commissioner of Police, Emenari Ifeanyi, has ordered a detailed investigation into the case, promising the public justice.
The command’s spokesperson, Catherine Anene, who confirmed this through a statement made available to newsmen, narrated that at about 4 am of the same day, police received a distress call and promptly deployed a team at Duku park, Wurukum, Makurdi.
According to her, the police team flagged down a vehicle coming from Benue Links area within Wurukum, adding that the driver, rather than stop, turned back and drove through the opposite lane, shooting sporadically at the team.
Anene said in the statement that police responded with a shot while the driver drove away.
The statement read in parts, “The police were on the trail of the vehicle until about 10 am Friday when information was received that a lady named Emmanuella Ahenjir, a student of Federal University, Wukari, Taraba state, had died at Benue State University Teaching Hospital from a gunshot.
“Upon arrival at the hospital, the detectives were briefed about the deceased, and the corpse was deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.
“One Apase Keghter, who was also an occupant of the vehicle, was seen at the hospital and invited for questioning.”
The PPRO said that the occupant narrated how they, including the deceased, had gone for club activities at Newcastle Event Centre and were on their way back when they drove on the opposite lane and passed the checkpoint without stopping, but did not shoot.
