Five policemen have been arrested by the Niger Police Command in connection with the alleged shooting of a villager, Ezekiel Aliyu, in the Munya Local Government Area of the state .
According to Punch Metro, it was learnt that three of the policemen are already facing orderly trial in connection with the incident, while the remaining two would also be investigated after recuperating in the hospital where they were admitted after sustaining injuries.
It was gathered that a scuffle occurred between the policemen and Aliyu over the latter’s refusal to give N50 gratification to the policemen during a “stop and search” operation.
The Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Abubakar, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, however, said the incident was not as a result of Aliyu’s refusal to give N50 bribe to the mobile policemen.
“The police is not an armed robber; we cannot shoot anyone because of N50,” he declared.
Abubakar said the policemen stopped Aliyu and asked that he should submit himself to a search, which he refused to do.
The spokesman explained that the mobile policemen became suspicious and insisted that he must be searched, a development which resulted in a scuffle, and the police rifle exploded, which hit Aliyu.
He said as a result, a mob gathered and successfully disarmed the mobile policemen and made away with a police rifle. The rifle, he said, was later returned.
The PPRO said investigation into the incident had commenced, though no arrest had been made.
Meanwhile, Mr. John Bahago, the member representing Munya LGA where the incident occurred, insisted on the floor of the state House of Assembly that Aliyu was shot because he refused to give N50 bribe to the mobile policemen.
Bahago asked the state government to investigate the incident.