PhotoTalk: Policeman Shoot Engineer During Nigeria, Mexico Match

A police officer, Sergeant Oludare Ariyo, attached to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Special Protection Unit, Base 7 Command, allegedly shot a building engineer over an argument that erupted at a viewing centre during the match between Nigeria and Mexico on Saturday.
The incident occurred in Kpadna community of the FCT Abuja.

The spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, DSP Hyelhira Daniel, who confirmed the incident through a telephone chat, said though the officer was not serving in the FCT Command, he would be arrested and the matter investigated and if found wanting, would be prosecuted.

When journalist visited Wuse General Hospital, where the victim Mr Joseph Akara, a native of Edo State, is receiving treatment, he said they were watching the match and trouble started when the policeman refused to pay for drinks he had ordered when the waiter requested for the money.
He said the duo was having an argument over the unpaid bills and it was while attempting to mediate that the policeman shot him on the thigh.

“I went to the viewing centre to watch the match and I saw the sales girl asking the mobile police officer who was in uniform for money for drinks he had taken and I asked him to settle the bills so that the sales girl does not incur the wrath of her boss and he started raining invectives on me and threatened to shoot me if I didn’t stop interfering in the matter.

“While we were still talking, he spat in my face after which he cocked his gun and shot me twice on the thigh. Some people at the viewing centre ran away when he shot me while others asked him to drop the gun but he continued threatening that he will kill me and leave the job. The sales girl called the police and they came and picked me and brought me to this hospital,” he narrated.

Counsel to the victim, Celestine Nwagu, said they were demanding that justice be done in the matter.

“Police officers who are supposed to protect the lives of Nigerians now shoot at innocent citizens. It is not acceptable and we are calling on the Inspector General of Police to intervene and also the FCT commission of the Police to bring the culprit to book,” he said.

Culled from Leadership Newspaper