Men of the Rivers State Police command yesterday averted a crisis in Rumuokoro junction area of Port Harcourt, the capital.
A police officer escorting a tanker laden with substance suspected to be illegal crude oil shot and killed a taxi driver, simply identified as Bright, and escaped.
Eyewitnesses said: ‘’The truck ran into traffic at the junction. The police escort got off to clear the road. The victim tried to make way for the truck.
Continuing, they said: ‘’While the officer was trying to break the mirror on the driver’s side with the nozzle of his cocked gun, the bullet went off, killing the driver instantly.
Fearing a mob action, he ran away.
Angry onlookers staged a riot, insisting that the body will not be moved until the escort is produced.
They blocked roads leading to University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, the one leading to Obio/ Akpor LGA as well as the road leading to Mile 3, causing serious traffic in the area.
Youths marched to the nearby Rumuokoro police station in protest.
Attempts by the police to recover the remains, failed. Over 10 truckloads of policemen were later deployed to the scene to clear the crowd.
Relatives of the victim could not stop crying. Efforts to speak them failed.
Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy superintendent of Police(DSP), confirmed the incident but said the officer, a mobile policeman, was not from the command.
He said he learnt he was on special duty and that efforts were being made to unravel his identity. - The Nation
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