Policeman Allegedly Shoots Student In Benue

A student was allegedly shot by a police officer at Ijegwu community in Obi local government area of Benue State weekend, after a heated argument.

An eyewitness disclosed that the victim, Augustine Ajom, a student, allegedly engaged the police officer, who was armed with an AK 47 rifle, in a heated argument over a missing phone when the policeman allegedly shot him.

According to our source at Obarike-Ito, headquarters of Obi local government area, the police officer was part of a team dispatched to Oju on a special assignment from the Otukpo Area Command when the unfortunate incident occurred, Vanguard reports.

The shooting of the student, it was gathered elicited angry reaction from members of Ijegwu community who assaulted one of the policemen.

The angry villagers allegedly went further to set ablaze the Volkswagen Golf car which was used for the special mission by the policemen.

Victims of the mob attack and the shot student are said to be receiving treatment at the Obarike-Ito General Hospital after being transferred from a clinic at Itakpa.

Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, Daniel Ezeala while reacting to the incident said the police shot no one in the fracas.

“A mob in the said village attacked the police men on patrol duties, for an unjustifiable reason; they also went a step further to set ablaze their car after thoroughly manhandling one of the police men. There is no truth in their claim that our men shot a student of the community before the attack; it is absolutely false,” Ezeala said.