By MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
[dropcap]B[/dropcap]ENIN CITY – Public outrage that lasted several hours resulting in the setting ablaze of five police vehicles and destruction of property worth millions of naira greeted the alleged killing of two persons who were among those protesting the killing of a taxi driver by a Police officer in Benin City on Tuesday morning.Four other persons were also said to have been shot to death by the Police as they allegedly tried to set Police vehicles ablaze.
Commercial activities were paralyzed as banks, offices, and petrol stations along Akpakpava, First, Second, Third East Circular and Ikpoba Slope were shut down, as men and officers of the Nigerian Army where seen evacuating dead bodies and providing security to the areas.
Police officers on duty in the area momentarily fled their duty posts over fear of being lynched by the angry youths who were avenging the unwarranted killing of their own by the police.
One of the victims identified as Osagie, a cab driver was allegedly pushed by a policeman to a fast moving truck which accidentally crushed his head on the road. It was gathered that his death triggered angry public protest in the first place.
According to an eyewitness account, trouble started when the commercial taxi driver, who also had his pregnant wife-to-be inside his BMW car with registration number AFZ-846HW refused to part with N100 “Eguje,” allegedly demanded by the policeman at a check point mounted at MM way by Igun junction, Benin City, about 7:45am on this fateful day.
He was said to have offered N50 which was bluntly rejected and an altercation then ensued which resulted in his being pushed to the road by the policeman.
Alltimepost.com correspondent reported the following eyewitnesses accounts in pidgin English at the scene of the incident: “I dey my store when I see the police dey ask the man for money, the man say him never work that morning, say N50 him get, but police say he must pay N100, but the man say him no get, say if dem wan kill am, make dem kill am and him con sit down for ground.
“So as the man wan stand up, the Police say him must pay the money or else him no go commot, meanwhile trailer dey come opposite dem, na the Police man say since na die you wan die, make you better die, the Police con push the man for center of road and trailer come match the man head and the man come die.
“So people wey dey pass for road and bus drivers come dey protest say wetin Police do no good.” A witness stated.
Also speaking, one of the protesters who condemned the killing of the commercial driver, attributed the killing of the other five protesters to the razing of four Police Patrol Hilux vans earlier brought to the scenes to calm the protesters.
The deceased’s wife to be who was crying and could not speak to newsmen who besieged the scene, was shouting , “na next week we wan do our marriage Oh”
Some of the vehicles burnt by the angry protesters include Edo state Operation Thunder Storm, Patrol Vans attached to Esigie, St. Savoiur police Divisions as well as a Toyota Audi said to belong to an unknown motorist, while a BMW car belonging to Osagie was abandoned at Igun junction along MM way.
Contacted to confirm the story, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Chidi Nwabuzor said they were still investigating the incident. “When it’s necessary to give out information please we will do so,” the state Police spokesman said.
Precisely at press time, Edo State Police Commissioner, CP Johnson Kokumo released a statement confirming the incident, but did not confirm the number of casualties involved. He said officers involved have been arrested and called for public calm, pending investigation.
