RIVERS POLICE DETAIN OFFICERS AFTER DRIVER IS SHOT DEAD AT CHECKPOINT

A driver identified as Anthony Obodo was shot and killed by a police corporal at a checkpoint in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while three other people sustained injuries during the incident.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday, August 27, 2026, around the Agip-Ada George Junction, causing panic and confusion as residents and passers-by rushed to the scene.

According to an eyewitness, police officers stationed near the junction attempted to stop Obodo, who was driving through the area. The officers reportedly pursued the vehicle after the driver failed to stop.

The eyewitness alleged that one of the policemen opened fire while chasing the vehicle. The bullets reportedly struck the driver from behind and pierced his chest, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.

The vehicle subsequently veered off its path and hit three people, leaving them injured. Residents and other passers-by reportedly rushed to the scene and pulled the driver from the vehicle before taking him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The police officer allegedly fired additional shots into the air while attempting to leave the area but was reportedly stopped and assaulted by angry youths who had gathered at the scene.

The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident and identified the officer allegedly responsible as Corporal Alfred Louis.

The command said preliminary information indicated that an altercation had occurred between the police officer and the driver before the shooting. It added that two other passers-by were injured during the incident.

Police spokesperson Blessing Agabe said the corporal and other officers who were with him had been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for investigation.

The command condemned the shooting, stressing that the alleged conduct did not reflect professional policing standards.

The arrested officers are expected to face appropriate disciplinary action based on the outcome of the investigation, while detectives continue to establish the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.

The incident has sparked renewed concerns over police conduct and the use of firearms at checkpoints, particularly where disputes between officers and motorists escalate into violence.

The police command assured residents that the matter would be thoroughly investigated and that appropriate action would be taken against any officer found to have acted unlawfully.