Protest as truck crushes man

A commercial driver identified simply as Sunny was crushed by a truck after he was allegedly pushed into the road by police operatives who mounted a check point on a road in Benin, Edo State yesterday. As a result of his death, angry youths and drivers mobilised and descended on the police operatives who abandoned […]

A commercial driver identified simply as Sunny was crushed by a truck after he was allegedly pushed into the road by police operatives who mounted a check point on a road in Benin, Edo State yesterday.

As a result of his death, angry youths and drivers mobilised and descended on the police operatives who abandoned their vehicles and fled.

Three other persons, including a policeman, were said to have been killed in the fracas that later ensued between the police and protesters.

It was gathered that the police who mounted the check point by 3rd junction along Murtala Muhammed Way stopped the victim who with his fiancée inside the car, and demanded for N100 from him, but the driver refused.

The deceased driver was said to have fixed his wedding for next week Saturday.

When contacted for comments, State Police Commissioner, Babatunde Kokumo, said nobody has been able to state what actually happened except from hearsay evidence.

“We are investigating the allegation. We want eye witness to give a proper account. Nobody has come out to say it was the police that pushed the man. The allegation was made against the police and we will investigate the matter.”

On his part, Governor Godwin Obaseki urged aggrieved parties to allow justice to run its due course, as efforts are underway to ensure that those liable for the crime are brought to book.”