A member of the South-East security outfit, Ebubeagu, Ajasm Aja, has been shot dead in Ebonyi State.
He was reportedly killed by his colleague over N1,000, a claim denied by the commander of the outfit, Mr Friday Nnana-Ujor.
Our correspondent gathered that the late Aja and his assailant were part of the Ebubeagu team drafted to Isu community, in the Onicha Local Government Area of the state to provide security at the All Progressives Congress governorship rally on Saturday.
After the rally, it was learnt the team was directed to bring and secure the party’s flag in subsequent rallies.
However, an altercation allegedly ensued between the deceased and his colleague over N1,000, which each of them was to get for their role at the event.
A community source said, “At the close of the event, the Ebubeagu members and G-24 group members loyal to the Onicha LGA chairman, were asked to take back the party’s flag in readiness for other day’s events.
“In the process of doing so, one of the Ebubeagu members and a leader in the G-24 group, Ajasm Aja, who was recently sworn in as Supervisory Councillor for Health in the Onicha council area, was engulfed in strong altercation with a co-member.
“As the duo engaged in war of words, Mr Aja pulled his pump-action rifle and aimed to shoot his colleague. In a swift response, the colleague was quicker in action, pulled a pistol and shot him in the forehead. He fell flat immediately and died on the spot.”
However, the Ebubeagu Commander in Ebonyi State, Nnana-Ujor, on Monday, said the attacker was not a member of the security outfit.
He said, “No, it was not an Ebubeagu person that shot him. That thing was stage-managed; it was the people that parked 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 officer that killed the person, but it is not true.
“It’s because the gun they used in killing the person was pump-action. No Ebubeagu person goes to a rally ground with arms. We had a meeting and made that decision. We are currently investigating the matter.”