- Girlfriend allegedly shoots dead Enugu-born police corporal in Imo state over dispute
- Brother to the deceased, recounts last encounter on Christmas day
- Imo state police command arrest 23-year old suspect over the murder
For the people of Ugbene-Ajima, Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu state, it was another tragic moment as one of their sons has been allegedly shot dead by his girl friend.
Cosmas Ugwu, a police officer was allegedly killed by his girl friend, following a little quarrel over a power bank.
In any case, narrating the tortuous and turbulent life of the police officer in emotions-laden eulogy, one of his relations, Sam Otti in a chat with WITHIN NIGERIA described the deceased as a dogged fighter, describing his death as rude shock.
“A day after Christmas and the unexpected happened. A phone call from Barrister Peter Ezugwu set my heart racing against the storm.
“The news shattered my peace. Cosmas Ugwu, popularly called Bookish by friends, was shot in the chest in his workplace at Mbaise, Imo State. The incident happened on Tuesday evening, December 26, 2023.”
“It seemed like a nightmare. I trembled. I panicked. I prayed. But my hope tumbled down.
Cosmas Ugwu gave up the ghost at midnight. Another star fell from the sky.”
Taking us down memory lane on the struggles and determination of the slain officer to attain a giant academic height and fulfil his dreams, Mr. Otti stated that “Bookish Chilaka Ugwu was a bright star buried in a dark cloud. He got an admission to study Optometry at the University of Nigeria Nsukka but couldn’t continue due to health challenges. He joined the Police to make a living.
“With constant nudging and encouragement from friends, Cosmas dusted his books once again. He got admission to study Optometry at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. Again, hell opened its gates and visited his frail body with severe afflictions. He limped out of the varsity like a wounded soldier.
“Cosmas lost his mother two years ago. His mother, Maria Nwa Okoye, had one dream for his son. She wanted him to go to school. Sadly, that dream has died.
“I wasn’t at Cosmas’ deathbed, but I knew he died with tears in his eyes. He died unfulfilled. His dream of a better tomorrow has crashed.
“His dogged efforts to break the jinx and chains of limitations were brutally truncated. He was constantly ambushed by troubles and the vagaries of life gave him no rest. He lived in silent pains, a man of sorrow chastised by insidious forces.”
On his last encounter with him before his sudden death, Otti went further to explain that “Cosmas was the last person I spoke with on Christmas day. Our conversation always ended with prayers. He never failed to ask for prayers.
“I implore anyone that reads this tribute to pray for Cosmas. Pray that God would console his bleeding heart. Pray that his pierced soul would find repose. Pray that the angels of God would welcome him to paradise, where sickness, evil and witch-hunt shall be no more.
“Above all, pray that the sceptre of the wicked will not rule over the land allotted to the righteous.
“I have lost a star. I have lost a brother. I have lost a friend. I have lost a disciple of my inner circle. Tomorrow has died. I thought Christmas came with so much joy, but now the bees are back with their stings.”
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the slain policeman, Cosmas Ugwu was attached to the Imo State Police Command before his untimely death.
Ugwu was allegedly killed on Tuesday, Dec. 26, by his 23-year-old girlfriend, who was identified as Amanda Uchechi Ugo, a native of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.
It was further gathered that the incident occurred around 6:30pm on Boxing Day at the Ezinihitte Area Command.
Further checks revealed that the deceased had a fight with his girlfriend in the room at the police station, and in the course of the altercation, the girl allegedly reached for the deceased’s rifle, pulled the trigger and shot him three times.
Officers on counter duty were said to have run for cover when they heard three gunshots from the room being occupied by the deceased officer.
However, confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Imo state Command, Henry Okoye in a statement revealed that the suspected murder incident occurred at the Ezinihitte-Mbaise area of the state.
According to the statement, the deceased identified as Corporal Cosmas Ugwu was met in his pool of blood after a gun was shot thrice from the Area Command’s Barracks on Tuesday night, adding that Ugwu was rushed to a nearby medical facility where he was eventually confirmed dead.
The statement reads this; “On Tuesday, 26/12/2023 at about 18:32hrs, operatives of Ezinihitte-Mbaise Police Area Command, heard three gunshots emanating from the Area Command’s Barracks and tactically maneuvered to the scene where they met Corporal Cosmas Ugwu ‘m’ in his room with gunshot injuries on his chest and hand, lying helplessly on the floor in his pool of blood,”
“He was immediately rushed to an Evergreen Hospital in Ezinihitte-Mbaise where he was certified dead by a medical practitioner. His corpse has been deposited at the morgue for preservation.
“In a swift follow-up to the unfortunate incident, Amanda Uchechi Ugo, ‘f’ 23yrs, of Umumbiri in Ahaizu Mbaise LGA of Imo State, who was seen at the scene of the crime, was arrested by the operatives and a pistol with breach number 5199225 assigned to the deceased officers was tactfully collected from her.
“On interrogation, she volunteered a confessional statement admitting that the deceased police inspector was her boyfriend and that she shot him with the pistol over a serious altercation she had with him.”
According to the police spokesman, the suspect is now at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Owerri, and will be arraigned in court upon completion of the investigation.