TRACKING______• Police inspector arrested for killing tipper driver
Two mobile policemen and two civilians were in the early hours of yesterday killed by a hail of bullets from unidentified gunmen at a popular nightclub in the Udu area of Delta State.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, confirmed the incident and disclosed that he has dispatched men from the command’s special task force team, ‘Operation Safe Delta’ to the scene of the incident to conduct a preliminary investigation.
It is still not clear what the policemen were doing at the club at the time of the incident though it was gathered from eyewitnesses that they were on security duty at the club. Two yet-to-be-identified persons who were having fun at the club were killed by stray bullets during the exchange of gunfire.
The deceased policemen, said to be attached to Mopol 41 in Gombe State but who was on special duty in Delta State, were identified as Inspector Jafar Adamu, with police enlisting number 232566 and a service AK-47 rifle No. 0354768 with a double magazine of 60 rounds; while the other policeman was identified as Sergeant Andrew Musa, with police enlisting number 417647 and a service AK-47 rifle No. 022850, with a double magazine of 60 rounds.
It was learned that the gunmen arrived at the club located by Old Ekete junction in Udu at about 1:00 a.m. and opened fire immediately. The policemen returned fire but were overwhelmed and killed while their service rifles were carted away.
The Commissioner of Police has vowed to do everything within his powers to fish out the attackers and bring them to book.
It would be recalled that last month ago, a policeman was killed at a restaurant in neighbouring Uvwie local government area and his rifle also taken away.
Also last month, gunmen suspected to be assassins shot dead Mr. Onovughe Jovi, son of the late Chief Jovi along Otor-Udu Road by Otuama Quarters in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. The late Chief Jovi was the owner of the popular Jovi Garden Hotel in the state.
The unknown gunmen had waylaid the deceased’s vehicle in the company of his mother, Mrs. Agnes Jovi, and shot him dead when the deceased and his mother were returning to the hotel. It was gathered that the gunmen also shot the deceased’s mother.
Meanwhile, a police Inspector serving in Delta State Police Command Asaba, Peter Okopi, has been arrested and detained at the Edo Police Command for killing a tipper driver identified as Richard Odia, a.k.an Original.
Okopi is attached to Department of Operations and was on special duty to 301 Construction Company Asaba from Delta State to Edo State, on February 11, 2020, when he shot and seriously wounded late Odia with AK-47 Rifle at a road construction site, Asagba Boundary Road along Benin-Auchi Expressway during an argument.
Odia was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) but died the following day. His death sparked a violent protest in the community.
A statement by the Edo State Police spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said Okopi would be made to face Orderly Room Trial, a mechanism for disciplinary action. The statement said Edo Police Commissioner, Lawan Tanko Jimeta, assured the family that justice would prevail in this case.
According to the statement, “The CP appeals to the family to remain calm and law-abiding, that the Command under his leadership holds high premium to human lives. He, however, wishes to invite anyone that witnessed the shooting of late Mr. Richard Odia to come forward to give evidence during the trial of the erring Police Inspector.
“If there are no witnesses to give evidence the aim of conducting Orderly Room Trial will be defeated.”
