by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Plateau Police Command says, while conducting a clearance operation Wednesday, it met stiff resistance from a mob after all efforts by the team to bring the situation under control proved abortive.
In the ensuing imbroglio, an officer from one of the sister agencies fired a warning shot but, unfortunately, one Inspector Emmanuel Tanko with AP. No. 336714 attached to 38PM Akwanga, who is on special duty in Plateau State Command was hit by the bullet and died on the spot.
A statement on this development was issued by the Plateau State Police Command, signed by the PPRO, DSP Alfred Alabo. The statement averred that, in a bid to restore normalcy to the State, the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Emmanuel Olugbemiga Adesina, had visited the scene to assess the situation.
The officer (who fired the warning shot) was immediately arrested, and he is currently under investigation at the State CID Jos, while the victim’s corpse was deposited at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital in Jos, for autopsy.
“On this note, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police wishes to extend his condolence to the family of deceased officer and the entire Nigeria Police Force over the tragic loss of this diligent and dutiful officer.
“He further urges members of the public to always cooperate with the security agencies in the execution of their lawful duties, as the laws the officers were enforcing are for the general good of the citizens.
“The CP wishes to inform the general public that the Plateau State Police Command under his watch will not relent in its efforts to train and retrain its officers to ensure they are professionally oriented.”
The clearance operation was a Joint Task Force comprising of personnel from the Police, DSS, NSCDC, Immigration, FRSC, and Operation Rainbow saddled with the responsibility of ensuring sanity in the Jos Terminus Market area.