How Soldier Shot Dead, Man Trying To Flee Checkpoint

Is it sheer stubbornness or a desperate resolve to survive a most trying time that has led to the untimely death of a man in Delta state?

That is the riddle yet to be unraveled in ogunu community in Warri South Council Area of Delta State where a a middle-aged man identified as Mr Joseph Pessu  has been shot to death by a solder, two days ahead of the commencement of restriction order in the state.

The tragedy is stirring the entire town and even beyond going by the circumstance of the death.

Reports gathered by The Eagle indicate that the deceased was allegedly killed by the soldier while attempting to escape from his Toyota Camry car after breaching a security checkpoint.

Our correspondent gathered that the checkpoint was mounted at Ubeji community, but the soldier’s suspicion was fueled by the fact that the young man had no registration number plate on his car.

it was further gathered that things may not have taken a worse turn but for the fact that rather than stop and explain his side, the young began an escape driver which made the military man to shoot at his tyre.

“It was then the soldier assumed him to be a suspect and shot at him. Immediately, the incident happened, the soldier drove directly to the Area Command of the Nigeria Police to report himself” , a Vanguard account on the matter said.

it would be recalled that the Delta state Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa had sometimes last week ordered for total lockdown of the state in order to contain the spread of the global Coronavirus pandemic popularly called, Covid-19.

In other to ensure compliance of citizens, the state government deployed men of the armed forces and other security agencies to the streets.

However, there have been reports of rights abuse by these law enforcement agents against citizens of the state and across the country. The killing of this young man marks a new twist in this issue.