By TONY OKAFOR
The death of Inspector Okolie Amechi in Awka, Anambra State on June 15, 2025, has not only shocked the public but also drawn national attention—both for its tragic circumstances and for the deeply troubling questions it raises about the handling of deadly firearms by law enforcement officers.
According to a statement by the Anambra State Police Command, Inspector Amechi was killed in his home by an accidental discharge from his 10-year-old son, who unknowingly pulled the trigger of the AK-47 rifle assigned to the officer. The same incident also injured the inspector’s second child.
As painful as this tragedy is, it is indefensible that such a powerful, military-grade weapon was present in a domestic setting—let alone accessible to a child.
The critical question that must be asked—and answered—is this: What was an AK-47 doing inside the family home of a police officer?
Nigerian law and police regulations are unequivocal on this matter. The AK-47 is a restricted assault weapon, strictly meant for official duty.
It is neither a personal defense item nor permitted in homes, religious centres, markets, or any environment not explicitly designated for operational use.
Officers are required to return such rifles to the armoury after duty hours, unless specifically authorized for a special assignment.
There is no legal or moral justification for any officer to convert a state-issued assault rifle into a household item.
Doing so is a grave breach of protocol—and, more dangerously, a reckless endangerment of innocent lives.
This incident is not merely a family tragedy; it is a glaring failure of institutional discipline and accountability.
The AK-47 should never have been in that house. The fact that it was—and that a child could handle it—points to a deeper systemic lapse within the Nigeria Police Force.
Whether through lax supervision, institutional neglect, or an unspoken culture of tolerance for such misconduct, the result is the same: weapons intended to protect the public are infiltrating private spaces, where they have absolutely no business being.
This cannot be allowed to continue.
The Nigeria Police Force must treat this incident as a wake-up call. A full investigation is imperative—not only into how and why Inspector Amechi had the rifle at home, but into how widespread this dangerous practice has become across the country.
We cannot afford to dismiss this as an isolated incident or respond with mere condolences.
A clear line must be drawn. If this culture of unauthorized weapon retention is not stamped out with urgency, we risk further preventable deaths, increasing misuse, and the potential diversion of firearms into criminal networks.
The Anambra State Police Command has expressed sadness and pledged to provide further updates. But that alone is not enough.
Officers who smuggle deadly weapons into civilian spaces are not just violating procedure—they are endangering the very public they are sworn to protect. The leadership of the Force must reassert firm control.
No more excuses. No more blind eyes.
An AK-47 belongs at the frontlines of duty—not in a living room where a child can mistake it for a toy.
Let this tragic death be the last warning.
