The Rivers State Police Command has dismissed three officers found culpable in the fatal shooting of Anthony Obodo during a police pursuit in Port Harcourt.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, announced the disciplinary action saying the officers had undergone orderly room proceedings and would also face criminal prosecution over the incident.
A fourth officer, Inspector Solomon Nworgu, who allegedly absconded after the shooting, is being sought by the command.
Obodo was shot on August 27 along the Agip-Ada George axis of Port Harcourt after a police patrol team from the Agip Division attempted to stop the vehicle he was driving. According to the police account, the incident escalated into a pursuit after the driver allegedly failed to stop.
Adepoju said the patrol team, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Fabian Kpeanabari, was returning from a special duty at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium when officers sighted a black, fully tinted Lexus vehicle.
The officers reportedly attempted to stop the vehicle for a check, but it allegedly sped away, prompting the patrol team to give chase.
During the pursuit, Corporal Alfred Louis, who was attached to the patrol team, allegedly opened fire at the vehicle.
A bullet struck Obodo, causing him to sustain a gunshot injury. He was subsequently rushed to Palmer’s Hospital in Port Harcourt, where he was attended to before a doctor pronounced him dead.
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The incident initially led to the arrest and detention of members of the patrol team at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Port Harcourt, as the command commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The officers identified in connection with the incident are ASP Fabian Kpeanabari, Corporal Alfred Louis and Police Constable Michael Ejokwu, while Inspector Solomon Nworgu was also linked to the patrol team.
Following the investigation, the command subjected the officers to orderly room proceedings, a disciplinary process within the Nigeria Police Force. The proceedings found the officers culpable, leading to their dismissal from the force.
Nworgu, however, reportedly absconded following the incident. Police have intensified efforts to locate and arrest him, with reports indicating that he has been declared wanted and will face the appropriate disciplinary process if apprehended.
The killing had generated anger in parts of Port Harcourt, with youths and other members of the community demanding accountability over Obodo’s death.
Adepoju said the command would not shield personnel found to have abused their powers or acted outside the law, stressing its commitment to professionalism, accountability, respect for human rights and the protection of lives and property.
The commissioner also expressed condolences to Obodo’s family and assured them that the police would ensure that justice was served.
With the three officers dismissed and facing criminal proceedings, attention now shifts to the prosecution of those found culpable and the continued search for Inspector Nworgu as the family awaits further developments in the case.
NAN
