Pepper soup seller slumps, dies at the sound of gunshots

THERE was confusion in Kwale, headquarters of Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State, Tuesday night, following the sudden death of a 50-year-old pepper soup seller at the sound of sporadic gunshots by the police officers.

The deceased, whose identity could not be ascertained at press time, allegedly slumped and died after trembling in shock during the gunshots from men of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad of Delta State Police Command, who stormed the area to arrest the National President of Ndokwa Youths Alive Progressive Forum, NYAPF, Mr. Ozegbe Adoh.

Adoh was apprehended on allegations of involvement in the vandalism of the Independent Power Plant at Okpai in Ndokwa East Local Government Area last year.

The police, sources said, had invaded a shop close to the deceased’s pepper soup restaurant at Esumpi Road, where Adoh was relaxing with his friends at about 8p.m., shooting sporadically into the air.

“The deceased was not hit by stray bullets, but was visibly overwhelmed by shock at the sound of the gunshots, which made him to slump,” a source, who craved anonymity, said.

Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Celestina Kalu, said Adoh was a fleeing prime suspect in the vandalism of the power plant.

She said men of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad had reported a case of vandalism of the IPP via a petition by the Nigeria Agip Oil Company on November 19, 2015.

Kalu said intensive surveillance of the team resulted in Adoh’s arrest, saying investigation was in progress.

Vanguard