SS3 Student shot dead by Police in Bayelsa

A policeman identified as Corporal David Napoleon has reportedly shot a teenager, Tomizibe Johnson, to death in Bayelsa State.

The incident reportedly occurred at 10pm on Thursday at Kpansia area of Yenagoa metropolis.

Napoleon, attached to the Department of Operations at the state Police Command, was said to have shot dead Johnson, a Senior Secondary School student, over an alleged misunderstanding.

But another source claimed that the police officer killed the teenager in self-defence when he was allegedly rounded up by a group of cult members.

Napoleon was said to have been disarmed and detained pending further investigation and trial.

The killing of the boy, said to be 13-years-old, has, however, thrown the Kapansia community into chaos.

Indigenes and residents of the community had organised a protest march against alleged rising cases of illegal arrests and killings of youths in the area.

It was learnt that the quick intervention of the Caretaker chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Mr. Oforji Oboku, stopped the angry residents from abducting a traffic warden over the killing of Johnson.

A police source claimed that the deceased was 18 years and that the incident occurred while the accused police officer was allegedly being chased by angry youths of the community and suspected cult members.

But the umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide, faulted the claim.

The Chairman, IYC Central Zone, Mr. Tari Porri, said the killed student was 13 years.

Porri stated, “After consulting with the police and family of the deceased boy, it is clear that the deceased was 13 years old. He and the killer policeman were neighbours.

“Eyewitnesses said the policeman shot twice from the kitchen to scare away some suspected cultists trying to gain entry into his apartment. When he (policeman) came out, he saw that the boys were still around.

“There was an argument and when one of the boys called others on the phone, the policeman shot at knee level and the bullet hit the deceased on the thigh.

“It was confirmed to us that the boy was not a cultist. He was just witnessing the argument. I hereby call on the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba, to investigate the incident and come out with a clear report to avoid a reprisal against security agents.

“‘Reprisal can happen when such cases are not properly investigated. Kpansia is a safe community and must be made to remain so.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident.

Butswat said the incident occurred at about 10pm on Thursday after six armed cult members invaded the home of Napoleon at Kpansia area of the state capital.

The police spokesman said, “The suspected armed cultists tore the window net of the policeman and gained entrance into his house. The officer, who was home with his family, ran after the hoodlums and arrested one Stephen Ayama, male, 16 years and a member of the Greenlander cult group. The suspected cultist was handed to the state security outfit, ‘Operation Doo Akpo’.

“When he was coming back to his house with a plan to move his family out to a safer place, some suspected cultists and indigenes of the community went after him to attack him. He ran, but was chased by the irate youths.

“He turned back and shot at them below the knee level. The bullet, however, hit one Tombozide Joseph, 18 years, on the thigh. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was confirmed dead.”