A Police officer said to be attached to Elelewon Divisional Police headquarters at Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State reportedly shot dead one Jimoh Abiodun a native of Kwara State over refusal to pay bail money last Saturday.
A brother to the deceased victim, Ismaheel Jimoh while narrating the incident to our reporter said Police officers on a patrol van stopped him and his brother while they were on motorbike on their way back home early morning of 19th, December 2020 .
Mr Ismaheel explained that the Police officers searched them and saw nothing except their ID cards, iPhone and other handset.
He disclosed that one of the Police officers insisted on taking them to the Police station at Elelewon which they obliged.
Mr Ismaheel further explained that he rode on his motorbike and was at the front while his deceased brother was inside the Police patrol van as they were heading to the station.
He stated that at the front of the station one of the Police officers allegedly asked them to bail themselves but he told the officer that they have only 1500 naira left.
According to Ismaheel, other Police officers told the Sergeant who reportedly shot his brother dead to let them go since nothing incriminating was found on them but the officer refused.
Mr Ismaheel revealed that while the officer who was drunk was beating his brother at the front of the Police station, he heard two gunshot when he turned back his brother was lying on the floor.
Mr Ismaheel said he and the other Police officers took his brother to three different hospitals but they declined attending to him and on their way to University of Port Harcourt Hospital the officers drove so rough that he feel out from the back of the patrol van which made him to sustain several degree of injuries.
He further stated that the Police officers did not come back to check on him they just drove off with the brother. He noted that it was in the morning he went back with his brother’s wife to Elelewon Police station where they learned the brother later died.
Mr Ismaheel called on well meaning Nigerians to ensure justice is done on the matter.
Meanwhile the wife to the deceased, Mrs Azeezat Omolara Jimoh who wept uncontrollably while speaking to Journalists expressed shock that her husband was killed for no reason. She called on the Rivers State Government, the Police authority in the state and well meaning Nigerians to come to their aide.
Investigation indicates that the deceased, Abiodun Jimoh is a staff of INTELS in Onne, Eleme Local Government area of Rivers State and is survived by his wife and three Children aged six, four and one year.
Meanwhile Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph G. Mukan psc (+) has condemned in the strongest terms, the killing of a civilian by a Police Sergeant serving at Elelenwo Police Station.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nnamdi Omoni which was released on Sunday December 20th, 2020 read that
- The sad incident happened at the Station, where the Sergeant without justification shot the Victim, Abiodun Jimoh who was immediately rushed to the Hospital but later died. His remains have been deposited in the Mortuary.
- The incident is being investigated and the outcome will be communicated to the public. Meanwhile the Police Sergeant who carried out the dastardly act is in custody for debriefing and psychological evaluation. His Orderly Room Trial will commence in ernest, for possible arraignment.
- The Command is in touch with the family and has commiserated with them over the unfortunate incident and has assured them that the interest of justice will be served in the circumstance, while appealing for calm and allows the law to take its full course.
Our correspondent reports that within four weeks, Police officers have carried out at least three extra-judicial killings in Rivers State.
On November 23, 2020 a marine Police officer killed Gospel Gbaraka a security guard attached to an oil servicing company at Abonnema wharf Port Harcourt
Again, on December 10, 2020 Police officer attached to Rumuokoro Police Division killed a Keke Driver over his refusal to pay a bribe of N100.
