Chaos erupted at Senator Stella Oduah’s Estate in Akili-Ozizor, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, following the shooting and killing of Noel Chinedu Okechukwu, a final-year Fine and Applied Arts student at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam.
According to a petition filed by the deceased’s father, Rex Peters Okechukwu, and sent to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Ogbaru Police Division in Atani, the incident occurred on August 17, 2024.
The petition states that Okechukwu, from Ochuche in Ogbaru, went to the estate to buy fresh fish from a pond. Upon reaching the estate gate, he was reportedly denied entry by private security guards. An altercation ensued, leading one of the guards to shoot him. After the shooting, the guards allegedly gave him water, and he died shortly afterward. The guards then reportedly sent a motorcyclist to inform the family of the incident.
The petition demands justice for the deceased, asserting that the guards had no right to take his life and should have arrested him instead of executing him extrajudicially.
In response, DPO Mr. Andrew stated that the deceased was allegedly involved in looting and vandalizing properties within the estate. He claimed that the deceased was part of a group armed with pump-action guns and that the security guards were returning fire after being attacked. The DPO also questioned the legitimacy of the petitioner as the deceased’s father, noting that the complaint was made six days after the incident. The case has been referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Annex in Awkuzu for a thorough investigation.