Policeman Shoots Driver at Checkpoint in Rivers, Injuring Three

It was a sad scene at Agip-Ada George junction in Port Harcourt. A policeman shot and killed a driver named Anthony on Thursday evening.

Reports say the policeman, whose name is not yet known, was with other officers. He fired three shots after claiming Anthony, who was driving a private car, refused to stop when they flagged him down at the junction.

One of the bullets hit Anthony in the back. This made him lose control of his vehicle. He veered off the road and crashed into three people, who were seriously injured.

The policeman’s actions caused chaos in the area. Passers-by and residents rushed to the car and pulled out the driver. He was unconscious and covered in blood.

An eyewitness, who did not want to be named, said the shooting happened around 5pm on Thursday. The eyewitness added that the policemen tried to chase the car before they fired the shots.

The eyewitness also said the policeman later fired shots into the air as he tried to escape. Some young people in the area stopped him.

The eyewitness said, “It was around 5pm. The police officers close to Agip/Ada George Junction stopped a young man who was driving, but he didn’t stop. So, they started running after him. Next thing, one of the policemen started shooting.

“He shot three times. The bullet hit the driver from behind and pierced his chest. The vehicle lost control and hit three people.

“There was confusion and people were shouting and running. Some people brought the driver out and rushed him to the hospital nearby, where he died.”

The eyewitness continued, “After shooting the driver, the policeman started shooting into the air to escape. Some youths confronted him, took his gun, and began beating him.

“While they were beating the policeman, other police officers arrived and rescued him.”

A video that appeared online showed residents and business owners gathered at the scene after the policeman tried to escape, realizing the impact of his actions.

When reached for comment, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Blessing Agaba, said she knew about the incident. She promised to release a statement with more details.

Agaba, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, stated, “Yes, I heard of the incident. I’m still getting details from the DPO to get the details. I will release an official statement soon.”