A trigger happy police officer has been arrested for shooting a tanker driver over a disagreement at a checkpoint along Darazo-Dukku-Gombe road.
The police inspector identified as Urbanus Ishaku was said to have shot the driver, Abdullahi Bello when he refused to come down from his lorry at Hashidu junction on Monday morning, January 17.
Other lorry and tanker drivers blocked the road where the incident happened in protest against the action of the policeman.
The Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Ishola Babaitan, who confirmed the incident in a statement issued by spokesperson of the command, SP Obed Mary Malum, said the victim was rushed to FTH Gombe where he is currently receiving treatment.
He also assured that any reckless policeman that violates the norms of the Force will be dealt with according to the laws of the land.
“The Gombe State Police Command under the able leadership of CP Ishola B. Babaita psc FDMSS whishes to inform the general public over the unfortunate incidence that happened today 17thJanuary, 2022 at about 0630hrs at Gombe-Abba Police nipping-point along Dukku-Darazo road,” the statement reads.
“While conducting stop and search AP/no. 204365 inspector Urbanus Ishaku attached to 34 PMF Gombe shot a trailer driver one Abdullahi Bello ‘m’ of Bauchi State. As a result, he sustained injury on his buttock, the victim was rushed to FTH Gombe where he is currently receiving treatment and he is in a stable condition
“Meanwhile, the inspector has been arrested and is under interrogation at State CID. Investigation is on-going and disciplinary action will be taken against him
“The Commissioner of Police wishes to enjoin all the peace loving citizens of Gombe State to stay calm as the Police will not tolerate any act of indiscipline from any Police Officer. Any Policeman caught in reckless use of his firearm will be dealt with decisively in accordance with the law.”
Meanwhile, Gombe State Government has called for calm following the incident.
The State Commissioner for Information, Julius Ishaya Lepes and his counterpart from the Ministry of Internal Security and Ethical Orientation, Adamu Kupto Dishi, made the call during a press briefing Monday evening in reaction to the development which has raised tension in the state.
Julius Lepes said that the shooting took place during a disagreement when the tanker driver, Abdullahi Bello refused the Policeman’s command to come down from his lorry at a Police Checkpoint at Hashidu junction Monday morning.
According to him, after the shooting, other tanker drivers immediately mobilized their tankers and blocked the road for several hours in solidarity with their colleague which caused a commotion on the busy road linking Gombe and Bauchi states through Darazo and to the other North-Western States.
He said that the Government intervened immediately to forestall law and order as the Policeman was disarmed and arrested adding that the Police authorities in Gombe are currently investigating the cause of the incident.
He also assured that the victim was rushed to a hospital in Gombe town where he is stable and responding to treatment.
The Commissioner called on the general public, especially road users on that route to go about with their normal businesses as normalcy has been restored in the area.
