The Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the killing of commercial tricyclist in Rukpokwu, Schoolboy Ikechukwu and the arrest of his killer, an Inspector of Police, who it said was cooling his heels in police cell at the moment.

Orderly room trial of the trigger-happy Inspector has commenced while security has been beefed up around the scenes of today’s violent protests that greeted the killing of the Keke driver.

In another development, one of the three victims of the police shootings at Rumuodomaya during the fracas that ensued after the killing of the tricyclist, has been identified as Nkpara Noble Nwi-Eezor.

Kristina Reports gathered that the late Nwi-Eezor, an orphan, who hails from Luusue Sogho in Khana LGA of the State, was on his way to the Rumuokoro Market where he runs a grinding business when his life was cut short by police bullets.   

There was pandemonium early on Thursday, December 10, 2020, when a trigger-happy policeman shot and instantly killed a tricyclist for failing to give him an N100 bribe.

The incident sparked an outrage with the murdered Keke driver’s colleagues, carrying his corpse to the Police Area Command at Rumuodomaya, and later went on rampage destroying properties, cars, shops and other valuables.

In a bid to disperse them, the policemen at the Rumuokoro police station started firing live bullets at the crowd thus killing at least three persons. The late Nkpara Noble Nwi-Eezor was one of the victims hit by stray bullets and died in the process.

Public relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command announced the arrest, disarming and detention of the police officer who shot and killed Schoolboy Ikechukwu at Rukpokwu in Obio/Akpor LGA today. The yet-to-be-named Inspector of Police is said to be a native of Etche LGA.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan has condoled with the family of the late Ikechukwu and the Keke Drivers’ Union, assuring them that the interest of justice will be served in the circumstance, while appealing to all aggrieved persons to maintain restraint and allow the law take its full course.

The statement by Nnamdi Omoni disclosed that Mukan condemned the incident and ordered the immediate commencement of the Inspector’s Orderly Room Trial, explaining that the Inspector was currently being tried, would be dismissed and charged to court for murder.

Omoni added that the affected areas have been stabilized and security beefed up at the Rumuokoro Police Station to forestall any breakdown of law and order.