Check point: Trigger-happy Police officer shoots tanker driver in Gombe, Govt appeals for calm
Gombe State Government on Monday confirmed the shooting of tanker driver by a trigger happy police officer in Dukku area along Gombe-Darazo Express Way.
Briefing newsmen Commissioners for Information Julius Ishaya and his Internal Security and Ethical Orientation counterpart, Adamu Kupto said the officer involved has been disarmed, stressing that the victim survived the shot.
Ishaya said the driver is currently receiving treatment in a medical facility in the metropolis, adding that efforts were on to assuage the protesting drivers who locked down the federal route.
According to him, the police has commenced investigation towards ascertaining the real cause of the incident, calling aggrieved parties to exercise pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Ishaya said, “The incident is between a police man and a tanker driver at a check point around the hashidu junction in Dukku Local Government. This misunderstanding between the police man and the tanker driver led to the shooting of the driver by the police man.
“Because the tanker driver was shot, other tanker drivers went to block Gombe- Darazo road. This prevented commuters from passing through the road. As we speak now the police man has been disarmed, under arrest by the police authorities. The victim fortunately did not die, immediately, was taken to the hospital somewhere in the state capital.”
He noted that government has rallied relevant organisations towards ensuring that the aftermath of the shooting was mitigated.
Also speaking, Kupto said efforts were ongoing to ensure harmonious relationship between security agencies and residents.
He noted that the existing relationship is for the benefit of the entire residents.
“There is a cordial relationship with not only the police but the general security agencies in the state because from time to time we have routine meeting on how to improve the security situation in the state,” Kupto said.
Commenting on the recent attacks in Tal, Billiri Local Government where 13 persons were reportedly dead.
He said, “We can’t fold our hands to see people politicising issues of security, issues of security can not be compromised. It is our concern, it is our business.
“The issues of farmer, herder clashes is not only in Gombe State or only Billiri. Government is doing all it can to ensure this doesn’t happen again, government has established committee on farmers, herders clashes.”
Confirming the incident through a telephone interview with journalists, Commissioner of Police Ishola Babaita revealed that the incident involved an unidentified inspector of police, adding that shortly after the incident occured he mobilised his men to return peace in the area.
“With my intervention and some other stakeholders we were able to move the victim to teaching hospital and he is in a stable condition. The inspector has been arrested and the state Criminal and Investigation Department is investigating.
Babaita debunked insinuations that the incident occured due to the failure of the driver to pay the usual tow at check points.
“When something like this happens people will say ‘collection’. It is a bad attitude that has happened. He will face the music. Any reckless police man that goes outside the norms of the state will dealt with in accordance to the law,” Babaita added.
