An operative attached to the Police Mobile Force, 43 Squadron in Gombe State, has allegedly shot dead a father of three near a popular bar in Elekahia, Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident occurred when the deceased, identified as Olafuro Peterside, went out with his family.
It was gathered that the policeman who was in company with a colleague (both from PMF 43-Squadron, Gombe) were on special duty in Rivers State.
Spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Saturday morning.
She however said from information available to her, the operatives shot into the air following the alarm raised by some residents that armed robbers were operating in the area.
Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, further said the two operatives at the scene of the incident had been arrested.
She said the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for proper investigation.
She stated, “Yes, the command is aware of the incident. From the information at my disposal, the man was with his family. There was an incident of robbery in the area, so the policemen shot into the air in response to the alarm raised. So, I think a stray bullet hit the man. The officers are from the PMF 43-Squadron, Gombe, but on special duty in Rivers State.”
While decrying the unfortunate incident, the police spokesperson said the defaulting cop and his colleague were being interrogated, even as she appealed for calm.
Meanwhile, a relative of the deceased who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that there was a car-snatching incident in the area which led to uproar.
The source, while speaking on a popular radio station in Port Harcourt monitored by our correspondent on Saturday, said the situation caused the victim to come out of the bar, where he was with his family.
She alleged that the policeman shot at the deceased while he tried to drive out of the area with his family.
The relative said, “The husband (Olafuro Peterside) was inside the place (restaurant) and they heard the rancor; the noise outside, and then he came out. When he came out, he told the wife to look at this policeman when armed robbers came, he ran. Now that they (robbers) have gone, he is back.
“As he made to drive off, the man (policeman) came right in front of the car and shot through the windscreen and hit him on the chest. That was how the guy (man) died.”
(Punch)
