The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a policeman seen in a viral video shooting at the vehicle of an unarmed citizen in Asaba.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Edafe Bright, the officer’s conduct was “unprofessional and totally unbecoming of a police officer.”
The statement said that after a careful review of the footage, the Command identified the officer involved, who has since been detained at the Command headquarters in Asaba. The Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has ordered an immediate internal investigation and disciplinary action in accordance with police regulations.
“Although the policeman was responding to a hit-and-run incident, no officer is allowed to use his firearm without justification as stipulated in Force Order 237,” the statement noted.
CP Abaniwonda, while condemning the act, reaffirmed that the duty of the Nigeria Police Force is to protect lives and property and not to endanger them. He assured members of the public that the erring officer would be dealt with according to the provisions of the Police Act to serve as a deterrent to others.
“The protection of life and property in the state remains the priority of the Command,” the statement added.
The Command also urged residents to remain calm and continue to have confidence in the police, promising transparency in the ongoing investigation.
