The family of Benalayefa Bako Asiayei is seeking justice after he was brutally killed by a policeman in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State. Asiayei, a 40-year-old resident of Yenagoa, was fatally shot in his Sienna car after refusing to pay a N200 bribe.
Eyewitnesses reported that the policeman, affiliated with the Bayelsa State Police unit, Operation Doo Akpo, halted Asiayei’s vehicle and demanded a bribe. When Asiayei declined, the officer fatally shot him.
According to report fron Sun News, an eyewitness said,“He said he did not have N200 as he was carrying just one person, suddenly the policeman cracked his gun and shot him.”
Chief Asiayei Zaiky, a relative of the deceased, arrived at the scene and identified the body. His outcry attracted a crowd, prompting a mob to gather. Initially, other policemen tried to surrender the perpetrator to the mob but later fled in their van.
Eyewitnesses managed to capture a photo of the assailant before the police team fled.
The body was later transported to the Government House in Yenagoa before being taken to the FMC Mortuary.
A family representative urged the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Sen. Douye Diri, and the Inspector General of Police to swiftly apprehend the officer responsible for Bena’s tragic death.
Additionally, they called upon the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Worldwide, to take decisive action against police brutality in Bayelsa State,”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Muhammaed, confirmed the incident, noting that an official statement from the police would be forthcoming. He further revealed that the officer responsible for the shooting has been apprehended and is currently in police custody.