Panic as vigilante shoots, kills man inside fast food joint over missing phone

A staff of the Choice Fast food at Okpara square, Umuahia  has been shot dead by a security staff of the same company.

The killing took place in front of the fast food, beside a new-generation bank on Sunday.

The victim, who was simply identified as Izuchukwu from Umuosu Nkwoegwu Ohuhu, Umuahia North LGA and aged 27, was shot dead on Sunday by a staff of Abia State Vigilante Service popularly known as Bakassi.

However, the Abia State Vigilante Service has clarified that the incident was not a deliberate action but an accidental discharge from the personnel’s gun.

Izuchukwu, who worked in the store department of the fast food company before his death, was shot dead over a missing phone.

An account of the incident claimed that a customer who patronised the fast food earlier in the day returned to complain that he forgot his phone when leaving.

The management of The Choice was said to have referred the customer to Izuchukwu who on enquiry, denied seeing or holding any missing phone.

According to the story, an Abia State Vigilante Service man who was engaged to work in the restaurant, confronted the late Izuchukwu, accusing him of being responsible for the missing phone which the young man again denied.

The Vigilante staff who was alleged to be drunk, allegedly suddenly pulled his service pump action and fired Izuchukwu on the lap in close range, shattering his leg in the process.

The gunshots terrified other customers in the restaurant who took to their heels to avoid any backlash.

On realising his action, the vigilante man removed his service uniform and tried to use it in stopping the sea of blood that was pumping out of the victim’s body.

The victim, according to an eye witness, was later taken to an undisclosed hospital in the city by the management of the fast food but he, unfortunately, died by Sunday evening.

Explaining the cause of the incident to journalists, the Abia State Vigilante Service said the unfortunate shooting resulted from an accidental discharge.

The spokesman of the Abia State security outfit, Mr Ben Uche who gave the explanation at NUJ press centre Umuahia, said the security staff did not intend to kill the victim but was on a peace restoration mission when the accidental discharge happened.

According to the media officer, the late Izuchukwu had a disagreement with the manager of The Choice over alleged indebtedness to the victim by the manager.

He stated that the late Izuchukwu allegedly seized a phone belonging to the manager, insisting that he must be settled before he could release the phone which sparked a shouting match between the two men.

He further explained that the Abia State security outfit’s official in trying to stop the two men from fighting mistakenly touched the trigger of his service gun which hit the victim in the lower leg region and not his lap or abdomen.

Uche who said the matter has been reported to the Police explained that his office was already investigating the incident even as the suspect has been arrested.

He commiserated with the family of the victim, noting that Abia State Vigilante Service was known for the security of lives and property in the state and not violence.

When the news of Izuchukwu’s death spread to his hometown Umuosu Nkwoegwu, the youths of the community mobilised themselves and stormed the restaurant, destroying property in anger.

There were claims that the youths were about to set the building of the fast food ablaze but decided to abandon the plan because of its proximity to a new generation bank.

Stern-looking Policemen who were later deployed to the fast food to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the area were seen preventing people from entering or standing in front of the destroyed fast food.

But the incident assumed another frightening dimension when some youths from Ohuhu land, the hometown of the killed youth, hit some streets of Umuahia in protest against the killing.

As the youths were marching through Aba road, an anti-riot patrol team fired some gunshots and tear gas to disperse the group.