A SIM registration agent at Tipper Garage Bus Stop, where the incident took place, Segun Lafiaji, said he was standing about 50 metres to where the young man was shot dead.
He said, “I don’t think the boy could be more than 21. After the policeman had alighted from a danfo, he asked the conductor for his balance of N50. But the conductor said he did not owe him.
“I was not really listening to what they were saying but the argument became heated. I think the conductor would have exercised some restraint if he knew the man was a policeman because he was in mufti.
“The bus conductor slapped him because of something he (policeman) said or did and he brought out his gun immediately and shot him in the head.”
Lafiaji explained that the driver of the bus quickly sped away to mobilise his colleagues who laid siege to Ketu and attempted to attack Ketu Police Division.
A commercial bus driver, who corroborated Lafiaji’s account, said the argument was indeed about N50 change.
The driver, who identified himself simply as Dayo, said he did not know the name of the bus conductor and from which park he came from.
He said, “You know most times, bus conductors do not associate with particular motor parks unlike commercial bus drivers. I know him but not his name. He is a young boy.
“I was just getting to Ketu when the incident occurred. Immediately we heard the shot, many people fled, but some who tried to catch the man retreated when he threatened to shoot them. When someone recognised him as a policeman, area boys began to riot.”
He said the rioters and traders at Tipper Garage and Ketu bus stops ran away when a team of policemen arrived the scene, shooting sporadically into the air.
It was learnt that the fleeing policeman was later apprehended by some policemen.
On Thursday, normalcy had returned to Ketu, which was said to have been deserted by motorists, traders and passersby on Wednesday evening.
None of the other commercial bus drivers our correspondent spoke to could provide information about what happened to the conductor’s body as they were afraid the police may come for them.
When our correspondent contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, she said contrary to a report that the policeman was attached to the Alapere Police Division, he is a riot policeman attached to Mopol 50, Abuja.
“Someone cannot kill another and not be prosecuted. He is in custody at the state Criminal Investigation Department,” Braide said.
Although the PPRO did not disclose the policeman’s name, a police source identified the suspect as Oluwatiyesi Gboyega.
The source, who also confirmed that Gboyega was attached to Mopol 50, Abuja, said he killed the conductor with his service pistol.
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