A retired police officer , Emezim Duru, has shot dead a yet – to-be -identified man at a festival in Imo State on Friday .
The incident which occurred at Obibi junction at the Ito Ofe annual festival in Naze in the Owerri North Local Government Area of the state abruptly brought the cultural feast to an end .
A community source told our correspondent that the festival was put together to confer a chieftaincy title on a US- based police officer , Meshack Onyeagoro , who is an indigene of the community .
Onyeagoro , had recently returned from the US to receive the chieftaincy title which is revered in the community , the source told our correspondent .
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Our correspondent gathered that the retired police officer was shooting continually in jubilation in the air .
The bullets reportedly hit two guests which resulted in the instant death of one while the other person was rushed to the hospital .
The source said “A retired police officer has just killed one person at the ongoing Ito Ofe annual festival in Naza. The other person who was hit by the bullet has been rushed to the hospital. The retired police officer was shooting in jubilation.
“The festival was mapped out to confer a chieftaincy title on Meshach Onyeagoro , a United States of America -based police officer . He is from our community . He returned from the USA to receive the chieftaincy title .
“Onyeagoro bought eight cows for the eight villages in our community in appreciation for the reputable chieftaincy title . The retired officer was shooting in the air , celebrating the chieftaincy title before the tragedy struck .”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state , Orlando Ikeokwu , told our correspondent that the gun had been recovered by the police .
Ikeokwu said that one suspect had been arrested by the police .
The police spokesperson told our correspondent that the gun belonged to Onyeagoro , not the retired police officer who shot it.
The police spokesperson said , “Two persons were hit by the bullet. One person died on the spot while the other person has been rushed to the hospital. It was Onyeagoro , who gave the retired police officer to shoot in jubilation.
“The gun has been recovered and one person has been arrested . We have restored normalcy in the area. It is a tragedy and we have commenced immediately.”
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