Mohammed Adamu, Inspector General of Police.
Ovedhe Hezekiah – Warri
A Nigerian soldier who defied the lockdown order in Delta state and went out to drink a beer has been shot dead by a policeman.
The incident occurred in Bomadi town, Bomadi local government area, Delta state, in the night of Wednesday 27th April.
The incident has agitated residents of Bomadi town who now live in fear that soldiers could raze the community as it is usual of them whenever an officer is killed under gruesome circumstance.
The Dune learnt that the deceased soldier was drinking at the same beer parlour as the policeman when an argument erupted.
The Delta state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa ordered total lockdown in Delta, forbidding the sales of all nonessential commodities, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. But some business owners including operators of beer spots have flouted the order.
The deceased soldier whom our reporter learnt was on routine patrol, stopped over to have a drink, there he had an altercation with a policeman, leading to his death.
A resident of the area who relied on an eyewitness report told our correspondent that the deceased soldier slapped the policeman while arguing over an issue.
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“Trouble started when policemen on routine patrol met three soldiers in a drinking parlour. They were talking, suddenly, one of the soldiers slapped one of the policemen and made attempts to cock his rifle.”
“It was in the process that the policeman who had already cocked his gun, pulled his trigger and shot the soldier. The soldier died on the spot.”
A resident told The Dune that people are beginning to move out of the area, fearing that soldiers from the Nigerian Army may besiege the area and attack residents.
Earlier this month, two Nigerian soldiers threatened to rape women and infect them with HIV/AIDS in Delta state to revenge the death of their colleague who was allegedly killed by civilians.
The Chairman of Bomadi Local Government Council, Mr William Angadi, has appealed to the affected security agencies to exercise restraints and allow the government to resolve the matter.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, has confirmed the incident.
In a telephone chat, Onovwakpoyeya said the police are working on the matter.
Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Hafiz, said the two security agencies are investigating the case to unravel the true cause of the murder.
Asked, if the joint investigation by the Army and Police would forestall retaliation by soldiers, the commissioner said, “there will be no need for that, both of them are Nigerian Security forces and the government will investigate and carry out a punishment on the guilty.”
