Thursday, February 8, 2018

Benin: Five policemen held for driver’s death

Five policemen attached to Esigie Divisional Police Station in Benin, Edo State have been arrested for their role in Tuesday’s killing of a commercial driver identified as John. The state Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, confirmed this yesterday.
Kokumo said the command had set-up a departmental investigative panel of inquiry to look into the involvement of the affected policemen in the accident which claimed John’s life. The five policemen were arrested for allegedly pushing the driver to his death, which sparked violent protests in parts of Benin and the burning of five police Hilux patrol vans.

Three other people were killed in the crisis. At the time of this report, the identities of the policemen were not known. The police commissioner noted that policemen attached to a patrol vehicle allegedly caused the accident which led to John’s death. He said: “We have set up departmental investigative panel of inquiry to look into their involvement in the accident that caused the death of a driver.

Whether they pushed him or not is a matter to be investigated.” Yesterday, there was skeletal police patrol and absence of road checks at usual spots noted for presence of policemen. Over 68 spots with bonfires were identified on Akpakpava, Muritala Mohammed Way (Third East Circular Road), Second East Circular, First East Circular, New Benin/New Lagos roads, Ikpoba Slope, Sakponba and Upper Sakponba roads and adjoining streets in Benin. However, street sweepers employed by the state government removed the debris or remnants of the bonfires.
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