The Ministry of Interior confirmed that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officer who was believed to have been shot on orders from a Chinese company was struck by a stray bullet.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior’s special adviser on media and publicity, said the findings came from additional investigations into the case.
Tunji-Ojo had accused a Chinese company of being behind the shooting and promised strict punishment.
However, in a statement on Friday, Cui Guangzhen, director-general of the Chinese Commerce Chamber in Nigeria, denied the involvement of any Chinese citizen or firm in the incident.
Instead, Guangzhen blamed it on a stray bullet fired by the Nigerian police while trying to arrest a suspect suspected of stealing iron rods from a Chinese company.
In a statement made on Saturday, Alao verified Guangzhen’s defence and stated the complete circumstances surfaced while an active inquiry is 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 reads.
“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.
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“The Minister reaffirms his strong commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity, and professional integrity of all law enforcement officers.”
The government would continue to assist law-abiding domestic and international companies, the ministry stressed.
