The erring officers who were involved in the incident that led to the death of a teenager on Monday morning in Jos have been arrested by the Plateau State Police Command.
17-year-old Ibuchim Ofezie, a resident of Agingi community of Bassa Local Government Area, was hit by a stray bullet from some obdurate police patrol operatives attached to “C” Division of Plateau State Command.
Nigeriacrime.com gathered that 17yrs old Ibuchim Ofezie was shot dead when some security men went to the area to arrest some erring motorcyclists who were operating illegally in the area as there is a ban on their operation but the operators attempted to show some resistance, forcing a security operative to shoot in the air to disperse the crowd that gathered.
Speaking on the ugly development, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Onyeka who condemned the killing of Ibuchim Ofezie assured the erring officers would face justice.
“The Police boss who described the incident as a paradox asserted that Police officers are empowered by law to bear firearms to protect the lives of the citizenry and not to take lives with them.
To ensure that the erring patrol team does not evade justice, the Commissioner of Police immediately ordered their arrest. The five officers who made up the patrol team have been arrested and are currently being investigated at the Homicide Section of the Plateau State Criminal Investigation Department, Jos (SCID).
“The CP assures the family and friends of the deceased and Plateau residents as a whole, of justice and that the culprits would be thoroughly investigated and made to face the wrath of the law according to their involvement in the vicious killing. He further promised that the outcome of the investigation will be made public.”
Recall that there was pandemonium on Monday morning at the Terminus area of Jos North local government as the deceased was hit and killed by a stray bullet fired by the Police personnel.
The incident happened when some security men went to the area to arrest some erring motorcyclists who were operating illegally in the area as there is a ban on their operation but the operators attempted to show some resistance, forcing a security operative to shoot in the air to disperse the crowd that gathered.
A passerby Rowland Itse who said he witnessed a part of the incident stated that teargas canisters were also fired by the security personnel to disperse the people and enable them to escape before being lynched by the crowd.
He said the deceased was in a shop in the busy neighbourhood when he was struck by the bullet and his lifeless body was left in the pool of his blood.
However, the Chairman of Jos North local government area, Mr Shehu Usman said, “This morning, there was an uprising that emanated from the bike riders and the security operatives and it resulted in the loss of life. There was a shooting and somebody lost his life but for now, we are collecting all the information on what triggered the incident.
“The people are calm and the family of the deceased has been called, I went there in person to appeal to them for calm, the security operatives are doing their best to look into the situation.