Trigger-happy police officer kills cow seller over N1000 in Enugu

A trigger-happy police officer attached to the scorpion unit of the Enugu State Police Command killed a cow seller, Alhaji Ibrahim along Obollo Afor road in Udenu Local Government Area of the state on Monday.

The brother of the deceased who pleaded not to be mentioned told Daily Times that the police officer demanded for N200 from them but Ibrahim told the officer that they are cow traders that they are just returning from where they went on sale of cows.

He said the policeman insisted and he was given N1000 to bring change but the police officer said he had no change to give them.
The eyewitness explained that at this point the policeman ordered every occupants of the vehicle they were travelling to come down and look for change.
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He added that it was at the process of going to look for change. “We all came down to look for change but the police officer pulled his gun and shot Ibrahim,” he said.

“In our confused state, we immediately rushed Ibrahim to Bishop Shanahan Hospital in Nsukka where the doctor certified him‎ dead.
“We have alerted our people on the ugly incident,” he said.

However in a release to newsmen signed by the Police Public Relations Officer Ebere Amaraizu which confirmed the incident said the policeman, Sgt Luka Habila has been arrested and detained for a full scale investigations by the state criminal intelligence and investigations Department.

The Enugu state commissioner of police Danmallam Mohammed has reiterated his earlier warning of personnel on stop and search points as well as other duty post against extortion, intimidation/harassment as well as unprofessional use of fire arms against members of the public contrary to the Force order on the use of fire arms.

According to Danmallam, any police officer who engages in all manners of extortion as well as other unprofessional conduct which the force frowns at, will be dealt with in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations guiding the Force and therefore reminded officers and men on the need to shun those conduct capable of bringing the image of the Force to disrepute.

The commissioner of police re-echoed this warning while reacting to an alleged incident that occurred along Opi/Nsukka/Obollafor road on 7/8/17 in which a police man identified as one Sgt Luka Habila allegedly shot at one vehicle with registration Number KED 233 SA while he was on stop and search with his team members.

According to Danmallam, the bullet allegedly hit the conductor of the said vehicle who was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention but was later confirmed dead by the Doctor on duty.

As I speak to you now, the policeman has been arrested and detained for a full scale investigations by the state criminal intelligence and investigations Department to enable the quick commencement of his orderly room trial and prosecution states Danmallam.

He added that the Force does not condole such an unprofessional conduct from any member of the Force.

It could be recalled that following the alleged incident that Opi/NSukka/obolloafor road was temporarily blocked to traffic by angry/irate motorists in sympathy to the victim which caused delay in vehicular movement along the road until the professional intervention of the Area commander Nsukka Zone Acp Steve Yabanet acting on the directive of the state commissioner of police Danmallam Mohammed leading to restoration of normalcy and free flow of traffic.‎