Police dismiss happy-trigger Cop

One of the two cops who shot and killed two nursing mothers during a funeral in Ivhiokhile quarters, Fugar, Edo State, has been dismissed by the Nigeria Police Force.
The two dead women, Sandra Imhaku and Mrs. Aishetu Saliu, Strategic Media learnt, were sitting under a canopy when shots accidentally released by the policeman pierced through their necks.
Bullets released by the errant policeman also narrowly missed a two-month-old baby strapped to the back of his mother before hitting the women who were sitting closely together.
Reports say the dismissed policeman who accompanied a traditional ruler from Uzarue clan, His Royal Highness, Imonike Omogbai, a guest at the burial, was trying to create an easy get-away route for the monarch’s car when he accidentally released the bullets.
Ali Christopher, the culprit, who is a Corporal with Force No. 444040, was attached to the area Commander’s office, Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State when the incident occurred in June.
Strategic Media learnt that he was immediately put through an Orderly Room Trial, which found him culpable and recommended his sack from the police force.
Confirming the latest development, the Public Relations Officer in Edo, Stephen Onwochei, disclosed that after a thorough investigation, the force found only one of the two cops culpable.
“That case has been thoroughly dealt with, two police officers were arrested, at the end of investigations, one officer was found to be culpable.
“That person has been tried by Orderly Room, he is a corporal, and as I speak with you he has been dismissed. Hopefully this week, he shall appear in court”, Onwochei stated.
The Police Spokesman advised police officers to be guided by Force Order 237, which spells out the use of arms by officers.
He appealed to members of the public to always keep a reasonable distance from any officer bearing arms to avoid such accidental discharges.
One of the victims, Imhaku, a mother of four, reportedly lost her husband last year while expecting the baby she was carrying when she was gruesomely killed.
She was rushed to the Irrua Specialist Hospital, Irrua where she died the following day.
The second victim, Mrs Saliu, an indigene of Fugar came from Warri, Delta State with her husband to attend the funeral of her in-law, late Mr. Itu Joseph, when the incident occurred.
She was said to have collapsed and died instantly following the shooting.
The indicted cop allegedly held the riffle with one hand while attempting to open the door for the traditional ruler with the other hand when the shots were accidentally released