The Nigerian Ministry of Interior has clarified that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officer who was believed to have been shot on the orders of a Chinese firm was actually struck by a stray bullet.
Babatunde Alao, special adviser on media and publicity to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Saturday, March 29, citing findings from further investigations into the incident.
Earlier, Tunji-Ojo had accused a Chinese company of orchestrating the shooting and had vowed to take decisive action. However, Cui Guangzhen, Director General of the Chinese Commerce Chamber in Nigeria, denied the involvement of any Chinese firm or citizen, instead attributing the shooting to a stray bullet fired by Nigerian police during an attempt to arrest a suspect accused of stealing iron rods from a Chinese company.
In a statement, Alao confirmed this version of events, saying that an active investigation was ongoing.
“Following the report of the alleged shooting of an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Niger State, further investigations have revealed that the officer was hit by a stray bullet that was neither shot on the order of the Chinese company nor its employee,” the statement read.
“A full-fledged investigation has been launched into the shooting of the personnel in collaboration with other security agencies. This is to unravel the detailed circumstances surrounding the shooting while giving assurance that anyone found culpable will be brought to book.
“The Minister reaffirms his strong commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity, and professional integrity of all law enforcement officers.”
The ministry also assured that the government remains committed to supporting law-abiding businesses, both local and foreign.