In Enugu, Nigeria, a police officer has been detained after allegedly shooting and killing Smith Odinaka, a musician and resident, on October 13, 2024. The incident has sparked widespread calls for accountability, as details about the tragic encounter continue to unfold. According to Enugu Police Public Relations Officer DSP Daniel Ndukwe, Odinaka was driving near the Mercedes-Benz Company on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway around 1 a.m. when his vehicle was hit by a gunshot reportedly fired by security agents in the area.
Odinaka, struck on his left hip, was rushed to the hospital by his friends but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. His body has been sent to the morgue, pending an autopsy. The Commissioner of Police in Enugu, Kanayo Uzuegbu, responded to the outcry by ordering a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the shooting. He has assigned the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Criminal Investigation to lead the case, assuring the public of a transparent process and pledging to bring the responsible party to justice if any police personnel are implicated in the act.
Preliminary investigations by the Enugu State Police have yet to directly link any specific officer or team to the shooting. However, the police department has committed to uncovering all relevant facts, with Commissioner Uzuegbu expressing his condolences to Odinaka’s family and urging them to remain calm while the investigation progresses.
This incident adds to growing public scrutiny of police conduct and calls for reform within Nigerian law enforcement, as recent cases have heightened awareness and criticism of police practices across the country.
