Mohammed Shosanya
The Rivers State Police Command has commenced investigation into the accidental killing of a Police Inspector, identified as Monday Gbaramana, by his colleague during an attempt to arrest a suspect in Nyogor-Lueku, Khana Local Government Area of the state.
The slain inspector was shot and killed after the rifle of his colleague, Inspector Nelson Abuante accidentally discharged on Sunday afternoon.
Public Relations Officer for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko said, an investigation had been launched with a view to unraveling the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.
She said, “Yes, the incident happened. We are investigating to unravel what really happened,”
The two officers who were attached to the Taabaa Police Division had attempted to arrest one Mr. Akere Akpobari in Nyogor-Lueku community after some allegations were made against him by his mother.
But the arrest turned bloody after the suspect, Mr Akere resisted the arrest, leading to a struggle between himself and the two Police Inspectors, a development that led to the accidental discharge of the rifle of one of the officers.
It was revealed that after the bullet of one of the policemen hit Inspector Gbaramana and injured him critically, adding that the other officer, realising what he had done, tried to rush his injured colleague to the hospital in a vehicle, but the fuel in the vehicle finished on their way causing delay and as a result, the injured policeman died.
The source added that after the death of the injured policeman, the second officer cocked his rifle and shot himself to death.
The source said, “In the course of the altercation, Inspector Nelson Abuante mistakenly shot Gbaramana and he sustained serious injuries. So, Abuante and Akere’s mother tried to rush the injured officer to the hospital.
“Immediately Abuante discovered that his colleague had died, he carried his gun and shot himself to death.”
It was gathered that the bodies of the two officers had been recovered and deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.
The incident is happening barely a week after the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu trained men and officers of the command on the latest arms handling techniques to mitigate poor rifle handling and eliminate accidental discharge of bullets during operations.
Disu after a three-week intensive training, assured that accidental discharge would be a thing of the past in the state as operatives have be taught to deploy their rifles only as the last resort during operations.
The CP said, “Arms handling is one of the most important aspects in policing, it has to do with life and death.During the course of this training, officers were taught safety and control, how they should handle their firearms.
“They (officers) have been taught the most important law about arms handling, force order 237, that is when the Police officer can deploy the firearm, when somebody’s life is in danger and there is no other means to save that life, he deploys the use of his firearm.”