Tragedy struck at the Aba Central Police Station (CPS) in Abia State, when a police inspector attached to the Patrol and Guard (P&G) Unit, allegedly shot himself dead accidentally.
This was even as the police in Aba arrested a man for attempting to commit suicide.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Sunday at about 10 p..m.. after the police officer identified as Inspector Sunday Mefo had booked and collected an AK 47 rifle, which he was to use for night duty.
Although information about the incident was not detailed as at press time, the tragedy was said to have occurred when after booking the rifle Mefo tried to check its working condition.
Sources said as he allegedly pulled the trigger of the gun, one of the bullets in the cache accidentally went off and hit him in the leg and he fell.
The inspector was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital, where he received treatment till yesterday morning when he died.
In another development, a man identified simply as Kenneth has been arrested and detained at the Ogbor Hill Police station in Aba for alleged attempt to commit suicide.
It was gathered that the man, who was a regular customer of an undisclosed hotel at the Federal Housing Estate, Ogbor Hill, had gone to the hotel to drink and after helping himself to some bottles of beer, he was given the bill of what he consumed. Thereafter, he excused himself and dashed to the middle of the major road opposite the hotel, waiting for any oncoming vehicle to kill him.
It was learnt that people around the hotel that saw him lying on the road, rushed to drag him out and invited policemen who later whisked him away.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Geoffrey Ogbonna, said he was yet to be informed about the incidents.