Policeman Shoots Tanker Driver Over ‘Too Little Bribe’

Two policemen may be dismissed from the Force for allegedly shooting a tanker driver for refusing to jack up the N100 bribe he offered them along Wudil Federal High-Way in Kano, northwest Nigeria on Monday.

Witnesses said hundreds of aggrieved tanker drivers blocked the major highway linking Kano to Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno states to protest the shooting. The Commissioner of Police who ordered for the immediate arrest and trial of the policemen, a sergeant and an Inspector, said his Command must ensure that they pay for their misdeeds.

Police: illegal shooting of tanker driver “The Police flagged down the Tanker driver who was on his way to Kano and allegedly requested for a bribe; and the Tanker driver obliged and gave them a tip of N100, but the police men insisted that the money was too small. It was at this point that argument ensued and one of the police men pulled a trigger and shot the Tanker driver on the leg,” said an eyewitness.

Spokesman of the Command , ASP Musa Magaji Majia described the incident as worrisome, adding that the Police authorities are footing the hospital bills of the Tanker driver who was shot on the leg, “he is currently in stable condition,” Majia told our Correspondent. “Once we received the signal from the area, we quickly moved in and ensured the arrest of the trigger-happy officer as well as his supervisor, an Inspector on the order of the Commissioner of Police.

“We took the injured driver to the hospital, foot his medical bill and also deployed an officer to watch over his safety while recuperating in his hospital bed. Justice will be done as we are prepared to sacrifice those men if they fail to prove their innocence. They must be tried in line with the established order and regulations,” Majia added.