Police officer kills scavenger in Kogi over N200

A trigger-happy police officer has reportedly murdered a metal scavenger because of a mere N200. A trigger-happy police officer » in Lokoja, Kogi State, has killed a scrap metal scavenger, Haruna Sokoto, because the victim refused to give him a bribe of N200, sparking protests and bonfires being set up in the town by colleagues of the victim. Reports have it that Sokoto, a father of 10, was shot dead by the apparently drunk policeman who was angry that his request for the money was not met by the man. An eyewitness said that the police officer demanded for the money from the Hausa man but he said he had no money on him and in a fit of anger, the officer turned his gun on the late Sokoto. The witness also adds that policemen » from in the area always harass the scavengers by collecting N2,000 from them daily. “On the day of the incident, the policeman had threatened to take the Hausa boy with the metal scrap to the police station and in the ensuing argument, the officer shot him on the head and he died instantly." Also narrating how Sokoto was killed, Rabiu Seidu, who claims to be the deceased brother, said Sokoto had given the police officer N1,500 adding that he could not make it up to N2,000. Seidu, who wept profusely, added that the officer told his brother to add N200 to make it N1,700 and when he could not produce the N200, the officer held his trousers and shot him on the head.