Tragedy struck on Saturday in an oil facility operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company in Odimodi community, Delta State, as a Policeman guarding the facility reportedly shot a soldier dead during a misunderstanding.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to a Punch correspondent, claimed that the two security men had a bitter exchange when other members of the team were said to have gone on a patrol of oil facilities in the area at the time.
It was gathered that after the Policeman shot the soldier dead, he further shot continuously into the air to scare away resident and then absconded with the victim’s rifle. The corpse of the deceased was later removed from the scene, by operatives of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe.
Speaking on the incident which has already created tension in the community, as residents fear the military might invade the community to search for the fleeing policeman, an eyewitness said;
“The incident happened on Saturday at noon. The two officers – a mopol and the military officer – were members of a combined security team stationed to guard oil facilities in Odimodi community. They had a misunderstanding. After a while, we heard gunshots.
“When people got there, they discovered that the mobile policeman had killed the soldier. The policeman cocked his gun and fired at the soldier and thereafter shot to scare people away from the scene.
“He (policeman) took the soldier’s gun and ran away. As of now, he has not been apprehended. The JTF authorities have removed the corpse of the slain soldier. There is tension in the community as we speak. People are afraid that the military may invade the community.”
While the spokesperson for Operation Delta Safe, Major Ibrahim Abdullahi, said he was not aware of the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Andrew Aniamaka, promised to react after speaking to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.
