The Adamawa State police command, on Wednesday, confirmed the arrest of one of its officers who allegedly shot dead a motorcyclist who refused to part with a N100 bribe.
The alleged crime occurred at a checkpoint in Maiha local government.
Wuro-ba Adamu village in Maiha local government was on Monday engulfed in crisis when a corporal, Richard Zaphet, allegedly shot dead a 20-year-old commercial motorcycle operator.
The commercial motorcyclist, Arabo Tambajam, reportedly refused to accede to the policeman’s demand “to settle him with the N100 before he could pass with a container of petrol he was carrying,” a source said.
Confirming the incident, the police spokesman in the state, Sulaiman Nguroje, said the policeman has been arrested and is currently facing investigation.
Mr Nguroje said “Yes the policeman in question Cpl. Richard Zaphet has since been arrested and brought to the State CID.
“The commissioner of police has directed an assistant commissioner of police to investigate and report for immediate action. The command assures all and sundry that justice will be done on the matter.”
Angry mob
Reports indicate that shortly after the incident, irate youth in their numbers mobilised and moved to mete out jungle justice on the trigger-happy policeman.
He was, however, saved by a group of soldiers, who also prevented the mob from setting a police station ablaze.
According to residents, the policeman was said to have been deployed from Mubi area command to Maiha.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Maiha local government, Idi Amin, has pleaded for calm noting that justice will prevail over the matter.
Despite public outcry, extra-judicial killings carried out by security operatives, especially the police, usually over refusal to pay bribes is common in Nigeria.
Mr Amin, who visited the hospital were the young man was taken to before he died, condemned the crime.
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