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A hunter, whose identity was not disclosed, allegedly shot dead a resident of Iwo in Osun State in the early hours of Tuesday.
Sources in Iwo said the incident occurred around Latico area in Iwo at about 3am. They added that the suspect was attempting to evacuate the corpse before daybreak when a resident of the area arrived at the scene and contacted the police.
Responding to the distress call from the scene, police operatives dispatched to the area arrested the suspect. However, residents, displeased with the incident, embarked on a protest and set up bonfires on the major road.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state, Kehinde Adeleke, said timely intervention of security agencies, however, nipped the protest in the bud.
She said, “On the 2nd of April 2024, information reached the NSCDC Office, Latico Area Iwo, that a local hunter at a junction in the area around 03:00 am on Tuesday, shot a man dead.
“The hunter was believed to be planning to evacuate the corpse before daybreak. But another resident met him at the scene and alerted the police. The police arrested the hunter which led to some boys in the area to start setting up bonfires in protest.
“The NSCDC, Iwo with other sister agencies were deployed in the area in a bid to bring the situation under control.”
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer for Osun Command, Yemisi Opalola, said an investigative team had been put in place to unravel the circumstances that led to the shooting of the deceased.
The statement partly read, “The Osun State Police Command is miffed with the report/news of the shooting/killing of a man in Iwo despite continuous warnings/sensitisation of members of the public especially hunters and other local security outfits on the use of guns (firearms).
“The command is using this medium to appeal to members of the public, especially the family of the deceased and residents of Iwo, to remain calm and not to take the law into their hands as the command has set up a team of crack detectives to investigate the circumstances that led to the shooting/killing of the man in the town.”
Opalola, who said the suspect had been identified, arrested and was in police custody, cautioned members of the public, especially hunters and other local security outfits against firearm misuse, urging them to abide by the rules governing the use of arms to avoid killings of innocent citizens.
The PUNCH reports that in February this year, the Osun State Police Command warned the residents, especially hunters, against the misuse of firearms.
The command, in a statement by Opalola, said the warning was sequel to a series of reports of accidental discharge which has led to the death of many people, while several others have also been injured in many of such circumstances.
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