Family of slain police sergeant demands justice

Members of the family of Sgt. Salvation Adaka, who was allegedly shot dead by his colleagues over N20,000 ‘largesse’ have called on the police authorities to prosecute the culprits.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adaka was allegedly shot dead on Nov. 7 by three of his colleagues with whom he was on a patrol duty.

NAN gathered that the team, which was from Agudama-Ekpetiama Police Division, was given N20,000 by people organising a funeral in the area.

NAN learnt that an argument ensued over how the money would be shared, and that Adaka, the most senior member of the team, was allegedly shot dead during the scuffle by his colleagues.

Prince Joseph Yabefa, a representative of Adaka’s family told NAN on Monday in Yenagoa that the family had received an autopsy report which confirmed that Adaka died of gunshots.

He said that the pathologist, who conducted the autopsy, found pieces of bullets in the spinal cord of the deceased.

Yabefa, who expressed satisfaction with the steps so far taken by the Bayelsa Police Command on the incident, said that the family was demanding prosecution of the suspects.

“We have been following developments on the case; our interactions with the police indicate that three policemen with Adaka on that day were immediately arrested and detained.

“We were also told that one of them, who was not indicted, has been released while two are still in police custody awaiting prosecution.

“Most importantly, investigations have indicated that they were on official duty when the incident occurred. They were not on an illegal duty as being speculated in some quarters.

“We are in grief because Salvation Adaka was the bread winner of the entire family,’’ he said.

He told NAN thjat the deceased had an aged mother, five children and brothers who depended on him.

“We urge the police to sustain the tempo and not tamper with evidence that will form the basis of the prosecution.

“We shall follow this matter to a logical conclusion,” Yabefa said.

Reliable sources at Bayelsa Police Command confirmed that the two policemen indicted and detained over the case had been dismissed.

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DSP Asinim Butswat, Spokesman for the Bayelsa Police Command told NAN on telephone that discipline and sanction of the policemen lied within the powers of the state commissioner of police.