Inspector To Be Dismissed, Charged For Murder, Rivers CP Confirms

The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Joseph Mukan, says the Police Inspector who shot dead a Keke rider at the SARS Road area of Rukpokwu in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area at dawn, yesterday, has been arrested, and faces dismissal and prosecution.
Mukan, in a statement signed by the Rivers State Command’s Spokesman, SP Nnamdi Omoni, said the command “was greeted this morning with the sad and unfortunate incident at Rukpokwu Junction, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Port Harcourt.”
Mukan confirmed that “The incident attracted reaction from the Keke Drivers’ Union but was, however, immediately contained by our men deployed to the area.
“The command condemns the dastardly incident, and ordered immediate commencement of the Inspector’s Orderly Room Trial, who is currently being tried, will be dismissed, and charged to court immediately for murder.
“We equally extend heartfelt condolences of the Inspector-General of Police and the Command to families of the deceased and the Keke Drivers’ Union, as we will do all in our powers to ensure the interest of justice is served in the circumstance.
“We appeal to all aggrieved to maintain restraint and allow the law to take its full course. Affected areas have been stabilised, security beefed up at the Rumuokoro Police Station to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
“Accordingly, calm has been restored, and business activities resumed, while the situation remains under close monitoring”, the police added.
Earlier, as the international community was marking the World Human Rights Day, an atmosphere of tension was triggered in Port Harcourt, as an operative of Operation Sting, shot dead a Keke rider over his alleged refusal to part with N100 checkpoint bribe.
Two more persons were feared killed as police, joined by a group of vigilante, repelled an angry mob’s attempt to torch the Rumuokoro Police Divisional Headquarters, at Rumuodumaya, whose personnel was said to have killed the tricycle rider.
The victim, popularly known as ‘School Boy’ was shot at Elukpokpodu Road at Rukpokwu, a link to the popular SARS Road, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
An eyewitness, Beniah Emmanuel, said, “Around 6am this morning, ‘School Boy’ with a woman passenger in his Keke, had stopped at the spot to look for change when the patrol team stopped him.
“They asked for N100. The guy said he was only just coming out this morning. They, then, moved to impound his Keke, and then, started hitting him in a scuffle. That was when one the policemen shot him in the chest, and he died on the spot.”
In the spontaneous street protest that followed, disrupting traffic on the Rumuokoro–Rukpokwu Road, yet unconfirmed reports had it that two more persons were shot dead, two others injured as police repelled attempted mob invasion to burn down the Rumuokoro Police Divisional Headquarters.
Emmanuel, who followed through the fatal drama further said, “They (protesters) brought with them the corpse of slain ‘School Boy’. They were able to torch the gate house at the station as policemen on guard initially took to their heels.
“But there was swift reinforcement of mobile policemen, vigilante (OSPAC) in the area and some Army who came in later. The security forces started shooting and tear-gassing to disperse the mob.
“So, the total killing today could be three. The police shot them all. And the area remains tense. Police and OSPAC have shut that axis of the Rumuokoro/Airport Expressway to traffic.”
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of rights group, Centre for Basic Rights (CBR), Prince Wiro, expressed disappointment at the police for displaying such level of violence on a day the world was marking Human Rights Day.
Wiro said, “We call for a thorough investigation into the shooting to death of a tricycle rider with a view to bringing the perpetrator to book.
“It is highly regrettable that the life of another Nigerian youth was cut short on a World Human Rights Day.
“The killing of the tricycle driver by a police officer violates the right to life of the deceased”, the rights activist, added.