An operative of Ebubeagu has been shot dead at the venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Isu community, in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The slain operative identified as Ajason Aja was killed by a yet to be identified person at the rally held on Saturday, 28 January, 2023.
Ebubeagu is a security outfit backed by the Ebonyi State government.
Mr Aja and his colleagues were part of the Ebubeagu team drafted to the Isu community, in the Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, to provide security at the APC governorship rally in the area.
After the rally, the team was directed to secure the APC flags for subsequent rallies when an altercation occurred between Mr Aja and the suspect over the sharing of money.
During the altercation, Mr Aja rushed for his rifle, but the other man was said to have swiftly pulled a pistol, and shot him in the head. Aja unfortunately died on the spot.
Each of the Ebubeagu operatives was meant to get N1,000.
Ebubeagu Commander in Ebonyi State, Friday Nnana-Ujor, who confirmed the death of Aja on Monday, January 30, however, said the attacker was not an operative of the security outfit.
“No, it was not an Ebubeagu person that shot him. It was people that packed (their car) behind a Sienna bus that killed him. The person that did that was sent to do so. People are thinking that it was an Ebubeagu personnel that killed the person, but it is not true,” he said.
“It is because the gun they used in killing the person was Pump Action. No Ebubeagu person goes to the rally ground with arms,” Mr Nnana-Ujor added.
“We are investigating the matter and very soon we will arrest the culprit and call journalists to hear from him. I don’t want people to think that it’s politics. Just exercise some patience,” he said.
Ebubeagu was set up by governors of the South-east to complement the efforts of security agencies in the region in crime-fighting.
Many people have, however, accused the security outfit of carrying out illegal arrests, abduction, torture and extra-judicial killings.
