Family of Police Sgt killed by colleagues, demands justice

Family members of Sgt Salvation Adaka, a po­liceman who was on No­vember 7, 2016, allegedly shot dead by his colleagues over N20, 000 gift, yesterday called on the Bayelsa State Police Command to prosecute the suspected culprits.
The AUTHORITY learnt that the incident occurred when Adaka and three of his colleagues from Agudama-Ekpetiama Police Division, Bayelsa State, who were on patrol duty that fateful day stopped over where a wake keep was being held in the area, and were given N20, 000 by an unnamed mourner.
Trouble, however, started when an argument ensued over the sharing formula. Adaka who was the most senior officer reportedly re­quested for a bigger share, a demand which was turned down by three of his col­leagues.
It was further gathered that Adaka was shot dead by one of his colleagues during a scuffle that ensued among the police men.
Prince Joseph Yabefa, a representative of the family of the deceased, said on Mon­day in Yenagoa that the fam­ily just received the autopsy report, which confirmed that Adaka died of gunshots.
He said that the pathologist who conducted the post mor­tem and autopsy found pieces of the lethal bullets in the spi­nal cord of the deceased.
Yabefa who expressed sat­isfaction with the steps so far taken by the Bayelsa State Police Command on the inci­dent, noted that the family is demanding the prosecution of the suspects.
“We have been following developments on the case; our interactions with the po­lice indicate that three of the policemen with Adaka on that fateful day were imme­diately arrested and detained.
“We were also told that one of them who was found not to be culpable have been released while two are still in Police custody awaiting pros­ecution while they have been discharged.
“Most importantly, inves­tigations have indicated that they were on official duty when the incident occurred and not illegal duty as being speculated in some quarters.
“We are still in grief be­cause Salvation Adaka was the bread winner to the entire extended family including his immediate family; he has an aged mother, five children as well as elder and younger brothers that depended on him.
“We urge the Police to sustain the tempo and not to tamper with the evidences available that will form the basis of prosecution, we shall follow this matter to a logical conclusion,” Yabefa said.
Sources at Bayelsa police command confirmed that the two policemen indicted in the case have been dismissed from service.
DSP Asinim Butswat, spokesman of Bayelsa State police command, however, said that discipline and sanc­tion of the three policemen was within the administrative powers of the Police Com­missioner.