In a tragic turn of events, two serving policemen from Gombe State have been taken into custody in Rivers State after being accused of fatally shooting a father of four, Mr. Peterside, within a bar located in Port Harcourt. The incident unfolded during a tumultuous encounter at the lounge, shedding light on a distressing situation that has gripped the community.
Sources indicate that the policemen responsible for the shooting were part of a specialized team dispatched to the state for a significant operation. The tragedy struck at a lounge situated within the Elelenwo Community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. Mr. Peterside had been present at the establishment alongside his wife and three children when a dispute escalated into a chaotic scene.
Witnesses recount that amidst the chaos, the policemen present at the lounge resorted to firing their weapons, inadvertently causing a fatal gunshot to strike Mr. Peterside. The heartbreaking incident has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving a family shattered and a community in mourning.
Confirming the incident, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police and the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, revealed that the matter was reported by the widow of the deceased, Ebikere Peterside. She stated, “On Monday, August 7, 2023, Rivers State Police Command received a complaint from one Peterside Ebikere…that on Thursday, August 3, 2023, at about 2200 hrs, while at a Bar/Lounge in company of her husband and three children, all of a sudden, pandemonium broke out, and in the midst of the confusion, mobile policemen from 43 PMF Gombe on special duty in Rivers State on guard fired several shots that hit her husband.”
The tragic outcome resulted in the victim being rushed to Save-a-Life Hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead by attending medical professionals. The slain man’s body has been entrusted to the Military Hospital Mortuary. In response to the incident, the policemen responsible have been taken into custody and are being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further inquiries.
As the investigation unfolds, the Rivers State Police Command has pledged to keep the public informed about the outcomes and developments surrounding this distressing incident. The community’s collective thoughts and concerns are with the bereaved family during this difficult time.
