The killing sparked off a series of protests in the town as youths of Ogidi community took the deceased to the local government headquarters, demanding to see the local government chairman.

A man was allegedly shot dead by an official of the Directorate of States Services (DSS) in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State in a case of mistaken identity.

Sources said the man whose wife was just delivered of a baby was preparing to go see his wife and the new baby in the hospital when he was shot after a suspect pursued by security agents ran into his compound.

The killing sparked off a series of protests in the town as youths of Ogidi community took the deceased to the local government headquarters, demanding to see the local government chairman.

A source who disclosed the incident to our correspondent said: “There is serious trouble at Ogidi now. An innocent man was shot dead by the SSS this morning.

“Ogidi youths have blocked the entrance of the local government with the corpse insisting they must see the chairman.

“Soldiers blocked the gate immediately, stopping everybody from entering the local government premises. Even the staff working there are barred from entering except someone already inside comes to identify them. The whole road is blocked.”

Speaking on how the incident happened, the source said: “The security men were looking for a cultist who ran into the dead man’s compound.

“The man just woke up and they were about to pray, but he excused himself to urinate outside, and the next thing was a gunshot.

“We heard the security men are claiming they thought it was the guy they were chasing. The dead man didn’t even know someone ran into his compound. He just came out to pee and join his family for prayer before going to see his wife who just put to bed early this morning. He had not even seen his newborn child. He is himself an only son too.”

It was gathered that the operatives were on the trail of known cultists popularly known as China, who was also said to be a notorious criminal