Crime & SecurityNewsNigeriaPandemonium in Rivers State as Keke Drivers, Residents Protest Killing of Member Over N100 Bribe.

Avatar PilotnewsDecember 11, 2020
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By Goldie Njideka, Contributing Reporter
Commercial tricycle (Keke) drivers at  Rukpokwu, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area Thursday took to the streets to protest the killing of one of them popularly called “School Boy” by a policeman on patrol over N100 bribe.
The commercial tricycle operators were joined by angry youths and residents to stage the demonstration. The angry Protesters blocked the Airport road, and major roads adjoining roads leading to the Port Harcourt International Airport causing heavy traffic with bonfires. The protesters also tried to march to the Police Special Area Command in Rumuodomaya but were resisted by Policemen who shot both teargas cannisters and live bullets sporadically for several hours to ward them off.

Sources said confirmed that one other protester was killed by police bullet while many were wounded and taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital for medical attention.

Many others sustained bullet wounds either directly fired at them as the police tried to disperse the protesters or were caught by stray bullets. At the University of Port Harcourt, Teaching Hospital UPTH said Police hilux  van marked with “Operation Sting” donated by the Rivers State Government was seen carrying two dead bodies.

Another Police van brought in three other injured persons who were agonizing in pains from bullet wounds. They were sighted at the Accident and Emergency Ward of UPTH.

One the victims who gave his name as Amaechi was agonizing in pains and was calling for help and attention from the medical team at the ward.

It could not be immediately ascertained the immediate reason for killing the Keke Driver popularly known as “School Boy” by the yet to be identified Policeman.

However, various sources claimed that the deceased was shot dead at a close range by a Policeman attached to a patrol team in early hours of today at a very close range due to his refusal to part with N100 bribe.

The Police patrol team is allegedly drawn from the Police Special Area Command Divisional Command in Rumuodomaya, headquarters of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

According to sources, immediately the Police team found out that “School Boy” was shot dead and his Tricycle plunged into the gutter they fled the scene of the of the incident to avoid reprisal attack from angry passersby who witnessed the incident.

Nnamdi Omoni, the Spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident and said that the trigger-happy policeman who fired the shot that killed the keke driver had been arrested and demobilised.

 Shop owners along the Rumuodomaya and Rukpokwu and those along Airport road hurriedly areas were seen closing their shops, as vehicles deserted the roads forcing commuters trek long distances as vehicles were off the road.
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