By Ikhili Ebalu , Benin City.
Tragedy was averted in Benin City when two trigger-happy policemen reportedly shot a filmmaker in an unprovoked attack during a stop-and-search duty in Benin.
It was learnt that the incident happened about two weeks at the chaotic Sapele road round by Murtala Mohammed Way junction in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.
The victim, Mr. Emokhare Iluore who was said to have miraculously survived the attack, alleged that Mr. Orukpe Monday Jeremy, was behind the wheel of his car — Black colour Mercedes Benz, JLK 350 with Registration FCT: RBC 702 BD.
He said that the incident happened on Thursday, October 7, 202, explanined they were at the traffic when armed policeman opened fire at his car immediately after he was flagged down by security operatives.
He also added that after the gunshot, the policemen walked away and avert a mob attack on suspicion that he was dead due to the impact of the bullets on his vehicle.
Emokhare, further alleged that for the safety of his life and fear of further escalation, Orukpe and another Nigerian who were with him when the incident occurred, went to Assistant Inspector-General, AIG Zone 5 in Benin City where the case was reported.
The victim who stated that before an undercover policemen accompanied him to the scene of the crime few minutes after the incident, the yet-to-be policemen had escaped, appealed to authorities concern to investigate the incident and prosecute the perpetrators.
According to him, “On getting to the roundabout before Kada Cinema, I was stopped by some policemen. I didn’t see them initially because we were almost at the edge of the roundabout.
“The traffic was stuck because the trailer could not move…A traffic warden came and told the policemen to allow me to park well not to obstruct the traffic. The policemen called one of his colleague to come. The traffic warden was directing me to park well, the next thing I heard was a gunshot and I discovered that my back windscreen was shattered.
“When I looked at the policemen from my rear view, they walked away as if nothing happened. So, I went to the AIG to report it. The worth of the vehicle is almost N8 million when I bought the car”, he said.
In a duly acknowledged petition by Mr. Orukpe Monday Jeremy titled, “Case of Attempted Murder, Malicious Damage Abuse of the Peace against some police Officers…” and addressed to the AIG, Zone 5, Benin and dated October 7, 2021.
According to the petitioner, he was “waiting for traffic light to pass my direction as I was driving towards Ring Road and there was a truck already ahead of me to move, So, I can have a free access to the road, suddenly, suddenly, two armed men with guns in their hands, shot at my vehicle with three occupants at the rear windscreen”, which is estimated at the sum of N800,000. 00 (Eight Hundred Thousand Naira). They zoomed off after the incident and abandoned their stop and search duty”.
Contacted, the Zonal Police Public Relations officer, DSP Tijani Momoh who confirmed the incident, said investigation into the incident has commenced.
Our Correspondent recalls that attempted murder cases in Edo State by acclaimed unknown police officer appear to be the latest in a string of high-profile incidents of violent crime comes barely three weeks after a 19 -year old boy who was on transit to a near by state was reportedly arrested and beaten by a group of policemen where on a stop and search at Okwakhei in Benin City and thereafter forced him to used his Automated Teller Machine, ATM card to withdraw the sum of fifty thousand naira from his account that have not been investigated by the Nigeria police