Kogi Police Probe As Officer Kills Girlfriend, Self

The Kogi State Police Command has opened an investigation into the death of two officers at Ajaokuta, in what has been described as a suspected murder-suicide.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Afusat Saliu, confirmed the investigation in a Saturday interview with Sunday Punch.

According to an earlier report by SaharaReporters, a corporal attached to the Ajaokuta Division, identified as Amos, allegedly shot his lover, Grace, also a corporal, before killing himself with his AK-47 rifle.

A source said Amos reported for night duty as a station guard at about 6 pm on Friday, but abandoned his post a few hours later.

He was alleged to have gone to Grace’s quarters at about 9 pm, where he fired three shots at her, hitting her in the shoulder, lower abdomen and leg, before shooting himself.

The source linked the incident to a long-running crisis in the couple’s relationship.

It was gathered that the two officers had been in a relationship for some years, but things turned sour in recent months over accusations of cheating and lack of trust.

Their quarrels reportedly escalated into fights and threats, prompting the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) to detain them at one point and urge them to part ways.

“The two junior police officers had been dating for some years now, but a few months ago, they started having trust issues and cheating allegations. There had been physical fights and threats to the extent that they were detained at some point by the DCO, who later advised them to end the love relationship for the sake of peace,” the source said.

The source added that the disagreement persisted despite the DCO’s intervention.

When contacted by Punch, Saliu said the command was aware of the incident and would make its findings public at the end of the investigation.

“We are aware of the incident, and the case is currently under investigation; we will update members of the public after the investigation is concluded,” she said.

The police spokesperson, however, stopped short of confirming that the deceased were members of the command.

“I cannot confirm that to you right now, but we are investigating the circumstances that led to their death,” she said.

She also declined to state whether the incident was a case of suicide.

“I cannot also tell you if the couple committed suicide or not until the investigation is concluded. We will release an official statement once I get a conclusive report on the matter,” Saliu added.