Boy shot dead by landlord while trying to retrieve football from compound

A young boy has reportedly died after a landlord in Imo State shot him while he was trying to retrieve football from his compound.

The young boy identified as Paul died at the Specialist Hospital, Umuguma, Owerri barely 24 hours after undergoing a surgery.

The guardian of the young boy, Mr Jonathan Odikanwa, a septuagenarian disclosed to Punch in an interview that his ward died on the 20th of March, 2024.

According to reports, the 16-year-old student of Urban Secondary School in the Area N, World Bank Housing area of Owerri jumped into the compound of the yet-to-be-identified landlord to retrieve his football for his friends.

However, the landlord who got angry shot the boy in his waist. He was then rushed to the hospital but lost his life a few hours after the surgery.

“He has passed away. My son has passed away. The doctors just said they lost him. Even after the surgery yesterday (Wednesday), we had been hopeful that he would come around. My boy who had lived with me for over seven years had passed on,” he wailed.

The police have however confirmed the incident and the arrest of the landlord.