A riot which shut down traffic along the busy Ada George, Location and NTA roads in Rivers state ensued on Tuesday June 8, over the alleged shooting of a commercial bus driver by an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Tuesday June 8.
Eyewitnesses told The Nation that the deceased driver was reportedly conveying passengers when a vehicle of task force officials attempted to overtake him.
It was gathered that after the driver refused to give way for that, his bus got hit by the task force vehicle. The driver who insisted that his car must be fixed, reportedly blocked the task force vehicle with his bus.
An eyewitness said;
“The driver further called on his other colleagues who immediately joined him to demand for the repair of his vehicle but as the task force and NSCDC officials objected to their demand, the situation became tense.
“Consequently, the situation worsened when the security operatives engaged all the drivers in a battle.”
Sensing danger, the taskforce officials fled while one of the NSCDC operatives trapped in the pandemonium shot the driver and continued shooting to scare the rampaging drivers.
The source added;
“The civil defence man escaped as the drivers scampered for safety following his gunshots. But the victim died while being conveyed to hospital.”
This reportedly led to pandemonium in the area. Spokesman of Rivers state police command, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the incident.
“Yes, I am aware that an NSCDC officer attached to the state task force shot a commercial bus driver, but calm has returned to the area as our men have been mobilised there.”
