The Rivers State Police Command has dismissed three officers implicated in the shooting and death of 22-year-old Anthony A. Obodo, a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, following an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The state Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, announced the disciplinary action during a media briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, saying the decision followed an orderly trial conducted in connection with the officers’ involvement in the fatal shooting. He also disclosed that the dismissed personnel would be prosecuted for the appropriate criminal offences in accordance with the law.
Obodo was killed on August 27 along the popular Ada George Road in Port Harcourt after a police patrol team reportedly pursued the Lexus vehicle he was driving. The incident occurred after officers allegedly flagged down the vehicle but claimed that the young man failed to stop, leading to a chase that ended with police gunfire.
According to the account provided by the police command, the patrol team was led by Fabian Kpeanabari, an Assistant Superintendent of Police. During the pursuit, Corporal Alfred Louis, who was attached to the patrol team, opened fire at the vehicle. One of the bullets struck Obodo, leaving him critically injured.
The young man was subsequently taken to Palmer’s Hospital in Port Harcourt for medical attention. Despite efforts to treat him, he was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty, turning what began as a police pursuit into a fatal incident that triggered widespread anger and protests in parts of Rivers State.
Obodo was reportedly awaiting his National Youth Service Corps call-up letter at the time of his death. His status as a recent university graduate and his death during an encounter with police officers intensified public concern over the circumstances of the shooting and the conduct of the patrol team involved.
The incident also generated unrest in the state, with youths from Ndele Community in Emohua Local Government Area and other communities taking to the streets in protest. Demonstrators reportedly moved into the Agip area of Port Harcourt, where the development caused significant tension and heightened demands for accountability over the circumstances surrounding Obodo’s death.
Addressing journalists, Adepoju said the police command would not protect personnel found to have violated the law. He stressed that professionalism, accountability, respect for fundamental human rights and the protection of lives and property remained priorities of the command.
The commissioner said the decision to dismiss the three officers reflected the command’s position that allegations of misconduct or criminal behaviour involving police personnel must be investigated and dealt with where wrongdoing is established.
Adepoju explained that the three members of the patrol team were arrested and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Port Harcourt shortly after the incident. A comprehensive investigation was subsequently undertaken to establish what happened during the pursuit and the circumstances in which the firearm was discharged.
The police chief said the command had also moved beyond administrative action by preparing to subject the affected officers to criminal proceedings. According to him, their dismissal would be followed by arraignment before a court to face the appropriate charges under Nigerian law.
The commissioner’s announcement represents a significant development in a case that has attracted public attention because of the circumstances of the shooting and the victim’s age. The command has maintained that its investigation was necessary to establish individual responsibility among the officers involved rather than shielding personnel simply because they were members of the police force.
In explaining the sequence of events, Adepoju said the patrol team initially attempted to stop Obodo’s vehicle. After the driver allegedly failed to comply, the officers gave chase. It was during that pursuit, according to the police account, that Corporal Louis fired at the vehicle and struck Obodo.
The commissioner said the injured driver was quickly taken to Palmer’s Hospital, where doctors attended to him before confirming his death. The immediate arrest and detention of the patrol members followed, allowing investigators at the SCID to examine the incident and the conduct of the personnel involved.
Adepoju also disclosed that the investigation has not ended with the dismissal of the three officers. Police efforts have been intensified to locate Inspector Solomon Nworgu, who allegedly absconded after the incident.
Nworgu remains wanted in connection with the investigation, with the command seeking to establish his role and whereabouts following the shooting. Adepoju said efforts to arrest him had been intensified as investigators continued to pursue all aspects of the case.
The commissioner reiterated that the Rivers State Police Command would continue to take action against personnel whose conduct falls outside the law. He said the command’s responsibility extended not only to maintaining public order but also to ensuring that police officers exercised their powers professionally and within the boundaries of the law.
The killing of Obodo has therefore placed renewed attention on the conduct of police patrol operations, particularly situations involving vehicle pursuits and the use of firearms. In this case, the command’s decision to dismiss the three officers and move toward criminal prosecution signals that the circumstances surrounding the shooting will be subjected to further legal scrutiny.
For Obodo’s family and members of the communities affected by the incident, the police announcement provides a formal response to the protests and demands for accountability that followed his death. However, the case remains active, particularly with the continued search for Inspector Nworgu and the planned court proceedings against the dismissed officers.
The Rivers State Police Command has maintained that its handling of the case is consistent with its stated commitment to accountability and respect for human rights. The command’s next steps will now include bringing the dismissed officers before the appropriate court while continuing efforts to locate the officer who allegedly absconded after the shooting.
Obodo, who had completed his studies at the University of Port Harcourt and was waiting for his NYSC call-up letter, died at the age of 22 following the gunshot injury sustained during the police pursuit. His death prompted protests in Port Harcourt and surrounding communities and has now resulted in disciplinary and planned criminal action against members of the patrol team involved.
Rivers Police Dismiss Three Officers Over Killing of UNIPORT Graduate
