Policemen attached to the Orerokpe Division in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State have allegedly shot an unarmed man in the Okudjere-Ovu community.
The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday evening when the officers, working with anti-cult operatives, stopped the victim on suspicion of possessing hard drugs.
The shooting comes amid public outrage over the killing of Oghenemine Ogidi, who was recently shot dead by a police officer in Effurun, Delta State.
According to reports, the policemen allegedly accused the victim of being in possession of drugs before shooting him in the right leg.
A video from the scene sighted by TheTimes Nigeria showed sympathisers trying to assist the injured man after the policemen reportedly fled the area for fear of being attacked by youths.
A rights group, the Initiative for Social Rights Concerns and Advancements, also known as “No Justice, No Peace,” condemned the incident.
The group said, “This incident raises grave concerns, and it is imperative that the Nigeria Police Force and the Delta State Government take serious note of this situation.”
The National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen, said the role of the police was to protect citizens, not brutalise them.
He said, “The primary duty of the police is to protect lives and property, not to harass or brutalise vulnerable members of society.”
Agberen urged the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, to investigate the incident and identify the officers involved.
The group described the shooting as “unfortunate and unprofessional conduct,” calling for accountability to prevent further cases of police brutality in the state.
