A police officer has been arrested after a viral video captured him firing a shot at the vehicle of an unarmed civilian in the Asaba area of Delta State.
The incident, which sparked widespread outrage on social media, has drawn condemnation from the Delta State Police Command, prompting the Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, to order an immediate investigation into the officer’s conduct.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, the police authorities described the officer’s action as “unprofessional and unbecoming of a police officer.”
“The command is aware of the viral video of a policeman who shot at a moving vehicle in Asaba. After a careful examination of the video clip, it is clear that the policeman acted in an unprofessional manner, unbecoming of a police officer,” the statement read.
The police further noted that the act contravened Force Order 237, which regulates the use of firearms by officers.
“The command condemns his act in totality as no policeman has the right to use his firearm without recourse to Force Order 237. It is the duty of every Nigerian Police officer to protect lives and property and not to put the life of anybody in danger,” the statement added.
According to Edafe, the officer involved has been apprehended and brought to the Command Headquarters for interrogation. Preliminary investigations revealed that the officer had been responding to a hit-and-run case at the time of the incident.
However, the Command maintained that such circumstances did not justify the use of a firearm without due cause.
“The CP assures members of the public that the officer concerned will be dealt with in accordance with the extant laws as stipulated in the Police Act and regulations to serve as a deterrent to others,” the statement concluded.
Commissioner Abaniwonda reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property in Delta State, assuring residents that unprofessional conduct within the force would not be tolerated.
