The timely intervention of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) yesterday averted what would have been a bloodbath in Awka, Anambra State as some policemen clashed with a soldier.
Trouble started at about 1pm at . . .
the popular Aroma Junction, Awka when policemen posted to the roundabout to check traffic, stopped every motorcycle operator (Okada riders), demanding N1, 000 from each of them who was not using a helmet.
A soldier in mufti, who was riding a motorcycle and unknown to them, was asked to park. As he was doing so, a policeman thought he was about to escape. He hit the soldier.
The young soldier immediately parked his motorcycle and told the policeman, “I am a military man,” but instead of confirming his claim, the policeman slapped him, the soldier retaliated.
On noticing his action, the other policemen pounced on him and ordered him to kneel down; he refused and contacted his superiors instead.
However, sensing danger, the policeman who slapped him fled the scene before the military reinforcement came in.
Few minutes later, the DPO for B Division, Maikudi Shehu, Chief Superindent, arrived and made peace with the military men.
The DPO’s intervention was said to have been made possible by the contact made to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, a Deputy Superintendent, by an observer. He quickly alerted the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), in charge of Operations, Olafimihan Adoye, who contacted the DPO.
The incident emboldened the motorcycle operators the opportunity to protest the penalty being demanded from them daily by the policemen at Aroma Junction as well as the alleged harassment and intimidation.
Although the angry soldiers didn’t talk to reporters, Mr. Chukwuemeka assured that nothing would make the police and military clash.
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