Residents panic as NDLEA officers chase driver

There were sporadic gunshots at the gate of the Edo State command of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Friday, as men of the service pursued the driver of an articulated truck who hit the vehicle of one of their colleagues.

An eyewitness, who gave his name as Frank, said the driver refused to stop after hitting the NDLEA vehicle but instead continued his journey along the ever-busy Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, towards Oka Market, which is about 500 meters from the state command.

He said the officer whose vehicle was hit alerted his colleagues at the gate of the NDLEA, who started firing gunshots in the air to force the driver of the truck to stop.

He said, “The shooting caused commotion, as traders and residents took to their heels, probably to avoid being hit by stray bullets. Others were confused, not sure of what caused the sporadic gunshots.”

One of the officers, who pleaded anonymity, said, “It was a simple thing; the truck hit our men’s vehicle, but the officers tried to stop him so that they could settle, but the driver refused to stop.

“That is why the men shot into the air to stop him. Even after deflecting about seven tyres, he was still speeding, but we eventually caught him and he was brought back to our office.”

Corroborating his officers, Commander, Edo State NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said it was a simple case and that shooting into the air was not meant to cause panic but to stop an errant driver.

The issue is a simple one. The officers were just trying to ensure that the truck drivers stopped after hitting the vehicle. The gunshots were not meant to cause panic,” he added.

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