An officer named Sgt. James Aondona has been detained by the Benue State Police Command for allegedly killing a trailer driver in the state’s Katsina-Ala Local Government Area.
According to reports, the driver was shot by the sergeant on June 27 after he allegedly refused to give a bribe demanded by police at a roadblock along the Katsina-Ala-Zaki-Biam road.
Ukan Kurugh, an activist, claims that the trailer driver was stopped by the operatives who set up a roadblock and requested that he pays N3000, but instead only gave them N1500 because he didn’t have a full truck and couldn’t afford to pay more.
The police officer is accused of shooting and killing the driver after a dispute broke out over his unwillingness to pay the unlawful fee.
According to a witness, the event happened when the trailer driver was going to the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area in Benue State.
Sgt. Aondona, the perpetrator, has been detained, according to command spokesperson SP Catherine Anene, who confirmed the event in a statement on Monday, June 27.
The deceased was identified as Aondohumba Terkula by the PPRO.
According to SP Anene, a preliminary inquiry showed that one of its officers, Sgt. James Aondona, had been sent to an observation post at Ngibo, Kastina-Ala LGA, and had received a thorough briefing on his schedule of duty.
“He decided to engage in an altercation with Mr Aondohumba Terkula (the deceased) which led to the loss of his life. The corpse has been deposited at General Hospital, Kastina-Ala.”
“While commiserating with the family of the deceased, Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP. Wale Abass has condemned the unprofessional conduct of the officer-involved and ordered that further investigation be carried out.
“He assured the good people of the state that justice will be served as the disciplinary procedure has commenced for onward prosecution.”