A policeman in Bayelsa State has killed a driver named Benalayefa Bako Asiayei over an alleged refusal to pay a N200 bribe. The incident occurred along Azikoro Road in Yenagoa, the state capital,Daily Trust reports.
The driver’s death has sparked widespread condemnation from the public and human rights groups. The identity of the trigger-happy officer, who is part of the police special patrol team “Operation Doo Akpo,” remains unknown at the time of this report.
Asiayei, a 40-year-old father of three, worked as an electrician and used his car for commercial purposes in the evenings to earn extra income for his family. He hailed from the Ayakoromo Bobougbene community in Burutu Local Government Area but resided in Yenagoa.
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According to reports, the police patrol team stopped Asiayei while he was picking up a passenger and demanded N200, their usual bribe from motorists. When he explained that he did not have the money and was carrying only one passenger, one of the policemen shot him.
Witnesses said that Asiayei’s in-law recognized him in a pool of blood at the scene while the police van fled. The body was taken to the Government House in Yenagoa before being transferred to the Federal Medical Centre Mortuary.
When contacted, Bayelsa State police spokesman ASP Musa Muhammed said he would issue a statement on the matter later on Thursday.
