The Delta State Police Command has dismissed reports suggesting that officers shot two persons during a patrol operation in Ogwashi-Uku, clarifying that a personnel of the Nigeria Forest Security Service and a civilian died in what it described as a tragic accident during a joint security operation.
The command said the incident occurred on Wednesday, May 14, 2026, along the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku Road near Mega Chis, during a routine patrol involving police operatives and personnel of the Nigeria Forest Security Service.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, members of the joint patrol team spotted two men behaving suspiciously and attempted to stop them.
The men, later identified as Adama Augustine and another individual, reportedly fled on sighting the security team, prompting officers attached to the patrol, including forest security personnel, to pursue them.
Police said that during the chase, Adama allegedly jumped into an uncompleted building in a bid to evade arrest.
A forest security operative identified as Eze Ifeanyi, who continued the pursuit, reportedly fell alongside Adama into an abandoned open well located within the building premises.
“The two men drowned after falling into the abandoned well during the pursuit,” the police said.
The victims were said to have been rescued and rushed to Ogwashi General Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed them dead on arrival.
Their remains have since been deposited at the hospital morgue pending autopsy.
Reacting to the incident, the Delta State Police Command described the development as painful and tragic, extending condolences to the families of the deceased, particularly the relatives of the late forest security operative, Eze Ifeanyi, and Adama Augustine.
The command also moved to dispel rumours surrounding the circumstances of the deaths.
“We want to make it very clear: no shooting took place. Nobody was killed by the police,” the statement stressed.
Police authorities disclosed that an investigation had commenced to establish all surrounding circumstances of the incident.
The command reassured residents of Ogwashi-Uku and the wider Delta State community of its commitment to public safety while urging members of the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information.
Authorities also appealed for continued cooperation from residents, particularly in sharing credible information that could support security efforts and help prevent similar incidents.
