Two innocent passersby sustained fatal gunshot injuries when yet-to-be identified military men and mobile policemen attached to the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service engaged themselves in a gun battle over traffic offence argument at the ever busy Tombia-Etegwe Roundabout in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
According to eyewitness account, a soldier on mufti was driving a van against traffic when members of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service accorsted him, and that when they ordered the soldier to step down from the van, he shouted at them, demanding to know who gave them the authority to enforce traffic laws.
It was further learned that in the process a heated argument ensued, and a mobile policeman attached to the vigilante group who is unaware that the alleged traffic offender is a soldier gave him two slaps for challenging them in spite of the fact that he committed a traffic offence.
It was also gathered that it was after receiving the slaps that the alleged traffic offender introduced himself as a soldier, and threatened to deal with the vigilante members and policemen at the scene.
A trader at the roundabout who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that “when they discovered that the man is a soldier they pleaded with him to let the matter go. He pretended to have accepted apology and drove off. Few minutes later, the soldier returned with two of his colleagues.
“And this he was on uniform. Without any form warning, they swooped on the policemen and started hitting them with the butt of their riffles. The fighting continued until one of the mobile policeman successfully disarmed one the soldiers. It was at that point the other soldiers started shooting sporadically.
“We all scampered for safety. When everywhere was calm, I came out of hiding and discovered that two persons that were by the road side had sustained fatal gunshot injuries from the shoot out, found out that the soldier had fled the scene.”
It was learnt that the two injured civilians are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Yenagoa, while the police is yet to issue a statement about the incident.
While, reacting to the incident the State Police Command Spokesman Asinim Butswat SP said the matter is under investigation.
A statement issued noted that
“On 27 June 2022, at about 1800hours, Police officers on duty at the Etegwe Roundabout stopped a White Toyota Hilux without Registration number, whose occupants were on mufty, for driving against traffic. The driver was advised to returned back and follow the proper lane. The men angrily introduced themselves as military personnel and promised to come back and deal with the police officers.
“Surprisingly, the men came back to the roundabout in military camouflage and started beating a member of the vigilante. The Police Officers tried to separate them, but the men on military camouflage started shooting indiscriminately and in the process a stray bullet hit two civilian passersby namely; one Ariweri Taralayefa f’ 29 years old and one Omonopeno Oturu m’ 38 years old. The victims have been treated and discharged from the Hospital.
“The military and Police authorities are investigating the incident for possible identification of the men involved.”
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