A young woman, believed to be pregnant, has been killed by a stray bullet in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State.
The bullet was discharged from the firearm of a naval officer attached to Operation Delta Sweep during a stop-and-search operation mounted by the security team.
The incident occurred Saturday evening when operatives flagged down a vehicle without a registration number, but the driver refused to stop.
In an attempt to halt the vehicle, a naval officer opened fire, and a stray bullet struck the woman seated in the front passenger seat.
The development sparked tension in the community, with angry youths storming a nearby Divisional Police Station.
They later retreated after learning that the operatives involved were members of Operation Delta Sweep and not conventional police officers.
The Director General of Delta State Security, David Tonwe, confirmed the death of the woman in a chat with NewsNet Nigeria on Sunday afternoon.
He had described it as “unfortunate” and appealed for calm, explaining that the unregistered vehicle had earlier been sighted along the road.
When the first patrol team flagged it down, the driver sped off. The vehicle was intercepted at another checkpoint, where the driver again refused to stop, nearly knocking down a naval officer and running over his leg.
“In response, the officer discharged his firearm,” Tonwe said. “It is important to clearly state that Operation Delta Sweep did not deliberately kill any pregnant woman. A stray bullet from the officer’s gun struck a young woman in the passenger seat. She was immediately rushed to a private hospital, but due to inadequate medical attention, she was later referred to Eku Hospital.”
Tonwe urged the public to disregard online reports suggesting that the operatives deliberately targeted the woman.
– Additional Information from The Townhall
