Ringim orders investigation of Abuja bank murder

Following the public outcry that trailed the killing of two persons by a riot policeman in Mpape, a suburb settlement of Abuja on Monday, the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, has ordered a full scale investigation into the incident.

He also directed that a criminal suit be brought against the police officer that shot the taxi driver and the lady passenger for parking in front of the bank.

Since after the incident, soldiers have been drafted to watch over the bank. However, NEXT’s visit to the area revealed that apart from the Zenith Bank, other banks in the neighbourhood (AfriBank Plc,Oceanic Bank, Spring Bank)that summarily closed for bussines after the incident, have all resumed operations.

The Force public relations officer, Olusola Amore, in a statement, described the incident as “unfortunate”, and warned the public against taking the law into their hands.

“It is regrettable that miscreants, thugs, and other criminals used the incident to attack the Zenith Bank in the area and set it ablaze,” Mr. Amore said.

He also said that eight vehicles and one dispatch motorcycle were burnt down, and that some arrests have been made in efforts to find the perpetrators.

The incident started on Monday January 31, following the shooting of a taxi driver and a lady passenger to death by a policeman attached to the bank.

The incident, which almost got out of hand, also consumed nine cars belonging to the bank and its members of staff, while the ATM machine was looted and set on fire.

The victims were rushed to an undisclosed hospital, but later died, which triggered the riot and attack on the bank.

According to the Federal Capital Territory commissioner of police, John Haruna, “the policeman at the centre of the crisis has been taken into custody,” stressing that there were certain conditions that must be met before firearms could be used, but these conditions were not satisfied before the policeman fired his weapon.”