By Aminu Kutama
Shinzo Abe, a former Japanese prime minister, has been pronounced dead by authorities after he was shot while giving a campaign speech.
Abe was in the city of Nara on Friday giving the speech ahead of Sunday’s upper house elections when two gunshots were fired around 11:30am.
According to reports in Japan, Abe was shot in the chest and neck. He collapsed on the street, with several security guards running toward him.
A male suspect was immediately arrested at the scene. Videos showed the man in grey T-shirt and beige trousers being tackled by security officials.
The suspect was said to have been a member of the maritime self-defence force for about three years, until 2005.
He reportedly told the police he was frustrated with Abe and intended to kill him.
