A clash between the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) of the Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps officials has left a cop dead in Ebonyi.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at the disputed Mboro Ajaenyim Quarry site in Amaeze community, Ishiagu in the Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi.

The Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Ebonyi State Command, Emmanuella Ibeneme, an Assistant Superintendent of Corps, confirmed the incident on Thursday in Abakaliki.

She said that a police officer was killed while two civilians sustained gunshot injuries and were being hospitalized.

Ms Ibeneme said that investigations were still ongoing to ascertain the cause of the incident.

She stated, “We are the security agency in charge of protecting critical national assets including mining sites and our men were deployed to provide security to the company owned by the Chinese. The men of the SWAT, Nigeria Police were drafted to the area; the information we received is that altercation ensued between the agencies leading to exchange of gunshots resulting in the death of a police officer and injury of two civilians. Investigation is ongoing to ascertain the actual cause of the sad incident to establish culpability.’’

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, also confirmed the death saying that investigation was ongoing to unravel the motive behind the obstruction of police sent to carry out lawful order leading to an officer’s death.

Mr Ukandu said, “Ebonyi Police arrested an NSCDC officer who obstructed lawful arrest at Ivo, attempted to seize a rifle and fatally shot a policeman. Investigation is ongoing; command warns against obstructing police duties.’’

Meanwhile, Chairman of Amaeze Development Union, Ogbonna Nwaeni, said that the incident followed alleged forceful entry into the quarry site by Hephziba and Beulah Concepts Limited.

The chairman alleged that the company reportedly mobilised heavy equipment to the area without the consent of the host community.

Mr Nwaeni said the community was taken aback when the quarry operators allegedly gained access to the site with the support of civil defence personnel and some suspected dissident youths.

According to him, the development prompted him to alert the state commissioner of police who dispatched SWAT operatives to the scene.

“Information available to me confirmed that both security agencies went confrontational in their approaches, leading to an exchange of gunfire that resulted in the death of a police officer. The Hephziba and Beulah Concepts brought in equipment into the quarry site without meeting with the community leadership or landowners.

“They also came in with civil defence personnel who provided security cover, alongside some dissident youths that threatened to shoot any indigenes who attempted to obstruct the operations,” he said.

He added that he reached out to the police command to prevent bloodshed in the community before the incident occurred.

Also reacting, a community leader, Dr Gilbert Aro, condemned the clash and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the officer’s death.

A representative of Hephzibah and Beulah who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the killing of the police officer but provided no further details.

The clash has heightened tension in Amaeze, where ownership and operational rights over the quarry site remained contentious between the host community and quarry operators. 

(NAN)