A police officer has shot dead a 17-year-old trader at the popular Bayan Banki Market in Jos North local government area of Plateau State. The victim was identified as Ibuchi Iffoneze.
It was gathered that a trader and commercial cyclist (Okada rider) sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment from the incident.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the incident occurred around 11:00am when a police patrol team stormed the Bayan Banki Market in Jos and attempted to arrest some Okada riders.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the market, Alhaji Yayaha Umar, said they had commenced business in the morning when they suddenly heard that one of their members was shot dead by the police.
“They came around our market and arrested an Okada rider, who allegedly disobeyed the law and after a while started shooting randomly and then a stray bullet hit one of our members,” he said.
He appealed to the government to take serious action and ensure that the preparators of the act are arrested with a view to facing the full wrath of the law.
An eye witness, Mr Goodwin Onyeka, said he believes that it was the stray bullet from the police that killed the innocent trader.
Onyeka added that the incident created tension around the market as traders hurriedly closed their shops and ran for safety.
The police public relations officer in the Plateau State Command, Alfred Alabo confirmed the incident. He said, “I am just coming from the scene of the incident. Very soon I will issue a press statement concerning the incident.”
