Lagos — Nigeria's consul in the Czech Republic, Mr. Michael Lekara Wayi, was shot dead at about noon (Nigerian time) yesterday inside the embassy in Prague by a 72-year-old Czech citizen.

The 50-year-old Nigerian diplomat was shot at close range in his office by the Czech man, who, according to embassy staff, was a regular visitor to the embassy.

The police said another person, an embassy clerk, was injured by a shot to the hand. The suspected killer has been taken into police custody.

Though the motive for the killing was not yet known, agency report said the man came to the embassy to complain of having been defrauded and was told to see the consul.

The Nigerian ambassador to the Czech Republic, Mrs Julie Joke Ayorinde, told the BBC yesterday that she was in her office when she was informed about the shooting and by the time she rushed down to Wayi's office, he had been confirmed dead.

"We don't have the details yet. The Czech person (who carried out the shooting) had been coming to the office to see him, (Wayi). Why he shot him today (yesterday), nobody knows. The police are carrying out investigation, so we can't say much yet", Ayorinde said.

She said nobody in the embassy was living in fear as a result of the incident, stressing that "security is good".

Police spokeswoman Daniela Razimova said the suspect arrived at the embassy to discuss an unspecified business matter at 1030 (0930 GMT) and that shots were heard some time afterwards.

She added that it was not yet clear how the 37-year-old reception clerk in the neighbouring office received his injuries.

It was he who called embassy bodyguards, who detained the suspected attacker until police arrived.

The clerk is being treated in the Central Military Hospital, as is the suspected attacker, who reportedly collapsed at the scene of the shooting. "We are investigating whether the crime was committed by the detained man and what was the motive," Razimova said.