How AIG's Orderly Killed Teacher At Palm Wine Joint

A trigger-happy police man attached to the residence of an Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, last week Thursday, shot two Plateau State indigenes who went to a palm-wine drinking joint to unwind. While one of the victims, a classroom teacher, Mr Luka Baren, later died from the injuries he sustained, his friend and tribesman, Mr. Pius Musaje, is said to be receiving treatment in his home town.

LEADERSHIP reliably learnt that the incident occurred in Gwarimpa estate around 7pm, when teacher Luka and Pius went to the palm-wine joint located at a local market on the 2nd Avenue.

 They took their seats and ordered for the drink. Shortly after, the police orderly came in clutching his service riffle. He took his seat and ordered for a drink.

Trouble was said to have started when some minstrels came into the joint with their drums and gongs playing close to the tables of people who were drinking and expecting some alms from them.

 It was learnt that when the minstrels got to the table where the police orderly sat, and started playing their musical instruments, the officer who felt irritated ordered them to leave the place, saying that they were disturbing him.

When the praise singers continued playing, thinking that the officer was merely sounding off, the officer raised his riffle, aimed into the sky and shot a bullet. The action scared many of the people in the joint who immediately took to their heels for dear life.

However, Pius and Luka who had only sat down and were just about savouring their drinks when the incident occurred sat put and continued drinking.

LEADERSHIP further learnt that the officer who did not look provoked when he entered the joint, suddenly, aimed his riffle at the two men who were unwinding, and fired a shot at them. The bullet was said to have passed through a chair, hit the right hand of Pius and finally lodged inside the left leg of Luka.

According to some witnesses, shortly after the incident, some sympathizers who were shocked by the policeman’s action, immediately made to grab the officer and perhaps arrest him when he pointed the nozzle of his riffle at them and threatened to shoot anyone who dared come near him. He was said to have been moving backwards as he issued the threat and later made his escape.