A police officer identified as Odika Agbo on Friday shot a soldier attached to the Joint Task Force, codenamed, Operation Pulo Shield.
Sources told our correspondent that the incident happened at one of the popular clubs in Bay Bridge, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.
It was learnt that the soldier, identified as Corporal Salisu Adamu, was shot in the hand by Agbo who was in mufti.
An altercation between Agbo who is a Superintendent of Police and Adamu led to the shooting.
A security operative at the club said the incident, which started like “a minor misunderstanding”, later snowballed into violence.
The source, who pleaded anonymity said, “It started as a misunderstanding but later degenerated into a serious quarrel. In the heat of the argument, the policeman pulled his pistol and shot the soldier.”
He said the incident caused a stir at the club forcing some fun-seekers to flee the scene.
Our correspondent learnt that after the shooting, some youths at the club gave the policeman a thorough beating before he was rescued by an army officer, who later intervened.
The source said, “The army officer collected the pistol, but later gave it back to the police officer.”
He said the injured police officer was taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fidelis Odunna, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
He said though the injury sustained by the soldier was not fatal, the policeman had been arrested and detained.
The PPRO said, “We are investigating the development to know what made the officer to use his firearms.”
Source: Punch
