Trigger-Happy Police Officer Fatally Shoots Electrician Over N200 In Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Police Command says it has arrested one of its officers who allegedly shot dead a 40-year-old electrician, Benalayefa Bako Asiayei, over N200 along the Azikoro Road in Yenagoa, the state capital on Tuesday, May 28.

The deceased who hailed from Bobougbene community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State was said to be returning to his home in his Sienna with a passenger in his front seat when he encountered the trigger-happy officer attached to the Bayelsa State security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo.

Residents of the area said trouble started for the deceased when the officer stopped him and demanded N200 as their usual collection package from motorists which he said he did not have. The residents said the late electrician complained that he was carrying only one passenger and cannot pay the any money. Eyewitnesses allegedd that the policeman in anger cocked his gun and fired at him at point-blank range.

An in-law to the deceased who was closeby, spotted the late Asiayei’s car and corpse, raised the alarm which attracted crowd to the scene. However, the erring policeman allegedly escaped in a patrol van.

The police later took the corpse to the Government House Hospital, Yenagoa and later to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa mortuary.

Reacting to the incident, the spokesperson of the command, Musa Mohammed, said the killer cop had been identified, and arrested and internal disciplinary action commenced.

“The officer has been arrested and disciplinary proceedings is ongoing” he said