A police officer attached to the Otuocha Area Command in Anambra East Local Government Area, Anambra State, has shot and killed an unidentified male commercial bus driver. It was gathered that the officer shot the deceased during an altercation over the payment of a N100 bribe to the security operatives at a checkpoint in the area.
A source, a commercial driver near the scene identified only as Kamtochukwu, told journalists that the incident occurred on Saturday, 2 November 2024. The source said, “The young man was shot dead during an altercation between him and the police officers over the payment of a N100 bribe. During the argument, one of the police officers quickly pulled the trigger and shot him dead.
“The young man was also a commercial vehicle operator, and his vehicle was just ahead of mine in the queue a few metres from the checkpoint. We were waiting in the queue at the checkpoint when we suddenly heard the sound of a gunshot.
“The incident caused chaos and panic as some youths in the area mobilised against the police action before they eventually drove off from the scene.”
Reacting to inquiries, the spokesperson for the state police command, Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command is aware of the incident and that the situation is under control. “The police officer involved has been identified as Inspector Sani Suleiman. He has been disarmed and detained for further investigations and internal disciplinary procedures,” Ikenga said.
The scourge of bribery and extortion among police officers in Nigeria is a longstanding issue that has led to deep-seated mistrust between the public and law enforcement. Despite efforts to curb this menace, recent incidents continue to highlight the state of corruption within the Nigerian police force.
For example, in January 2023, a viral video showed a police officer in Lagos State openly demanding bribes from motorists during a stop-and-search operation. The officer, later identified through his badge number, was seen negotiating amounts with drivers and pocketing the cash.
- Source: Punch
