A man, Chidube Onyema, on Sunday allegedly shot dead his girlfriend, simply identified as Chinwendu, on the suspicion that she was cheating on him.
The incident, which happened at Umuokirie village in the Okuku autonomous community of the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, caused panic in the area.
A source in the community told our correspondent that the victim visited the suspect from her village, Ohabele in the Obosima community, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state, after returning from Aba, Abia State.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told newsmen that trouble started after Chinwendu, who was billed to return to Aba the same day, took a phone call in her lover’s presence.
The suspect reportedly asked his girlfriend to hand over the phone to him, but she declined.
He immediately pulled his gun from the room and allegedly shot her on her private parts, the source said.
The source stated, “The girl visited Chidube from her village in Ohaji/Egbema on Sunday evening. She was supposed to return to Aba that evening. Trouble started after the girl finished answering a phone call and the guy demanded to know who called her.
“When the lady couldn’t give a convincing explanation, he demanded her phone but the girl refused. The man pulled out his gun and demanded the phone, but the lady refused. They started dragging the phone and unfortunately, the trigger pulled and the bullet pierced through the lady’s private parts.
“She became unconscious as villagers gathered. She was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where she died three hours later.”
It was gathered that the suspect was a hunter, who operated in the village.
The victim’s brothers came from Obosima on reprisal on Monday and allegedly burnt the suspect parents’ house.
The President-General, Okuku Autonomous Community, Martin Daniel, who confirmed the incident, said the community was working with the police to restore peace.
He stated that the suspect was arrested on Sunday and his gun was recovered and taken to Umugumma Divisional Police Headquarters.
Daniel added that the suspect and the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal and Investigation Department in Owerri.
He said the community contacted the police, who extinguished the fire razing the family house of the suspect.
When contacted, the police spokesman in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, said Chidube had been arrested and the case transferred to the state CID in Owerri.
