By; BUHARI B. BELLO, Jos
One person was believed to have been killed by policemen attached to the ‘C’ Division of the Nigerian Police in Plateau State.
The killing follows an attempted to arrest members of commercial motorcycle riders in Jos metropolis by the Police, which incidentally led to the direct shooting of the motorcyclist, while the stray bullet incidentally hit another man in his shop behind Bayan Banki Terminus Market in Jos.
The Executive Chairman of Jos North Local Government Area, Shehu Bala Usman who confirmed the development, described it as unfortunate, saying that this is the fourth in the series of similar shootings by the Police from the ‘C’ Division.
According to him, efforts are being made to ascertain the actual cause of the brutal shooting by the Police, which almost resulted to a serious commotion in the town.
Traders and shop owners around the market and Masallacin Juma’a area, hurriedly close down their businesses in fear of the unknown.
An elder brother to one of the deceased hit by the stray bullet, Ekene Ofieze said, they were inside their shop along Hayan Banki area, when they discovered that their brother was hit by a bullet from the police shooting, while they were trying to arrest some motorcyclists.
A nephew of the deceased, Nkechi Ofieze said she was instrumental in bringing the 18-year old Ebuchin Ofieze to Jos, where he is currently working as an apprentice.
She called for justice to be served and urged the Plateau State Police Commissioner to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of the police officers who allegedly perpetrated the killing.
An eye witness of the incident, Okechukwu Akubue said that the skirmishes started when the policemen in an attempt to arrest the motorcyclists operating within the state metropolis, opened fire indiscriminately, without due regards to the mass population within the market environment.
