The Plateau State Police Command has detained an officer accused of shooting an unarmed trader in the leg at a checkpoint in Riyom Local Government Area of the state.
According to a report by Daily Trust, the incident occurred on 11 August when the trader, identified as Danladi, was stopped at a checkpoint while transporting vegetables to the South-east.
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The command’s spokesperson, Alfred Alabo, confirmed the incident and said the officer had been disarmed and taken into custody.
“The DPO, Riyom Division, came there immediately. He got the information with his men, disarmed the officer and took him immediately to the State CID, where he is currently undergoing questioning and a disciplinary process,” Alabo said.
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He added that the Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Faniyan, had directed the DPO to visit the hospital where the victim was receiving treatment and report on his condition.
The spokesperson urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid confrontations with armed security personnel, warning that such encounters could escalate.
Faniyan assumed office as the 47th Commissioner of Police in Plateau State on 11 August, the same day the reported shooting occurred.
Speaking at his first press conference in Jos on Friday, 14 August, Faniyan pledged to make human rights, professionalism and accountability central to his administration.
He said his command would “discourage brutality and all other vices that often paint us in a bad light” and promised to “check all excesses and unnecessary aggression against innocent citizens that ignite friction.”
The new commissioner also declared a zero-tolerance policy towards unprofessional conduct, saying the command would uphold due process and respect for human dignity.
“My mandate is ambitious but clear: ‘TO MAKE POLICING IN PLATEAU STATE A POSITIVE MODEL FOR OTHERS,’” he said.
Faniyan’s position on police conduct comes amid renewed concerns about alleged abuses by security personnel and the need for stronger accountability in the state.
At the same press conference, he said the command would adopt human rights-centred policing, strengthen public complaint channels and ensure that officers operate within the law.
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He also called for closer cooperation between the police and residents, saying security agencies depended on timely and credible information from the public.
The command said 30 suspects had been arrested between July and August, while one AK-47 rifle, three locally fabricated rifles and 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition had been recovered during the period. One suspect was also reported killed during security operations.
Faniyan further condemned jungle justice, describing it as a criminal act that could amount to culpable homicide when it results in the death of a suspect.
The commissioner said perpetrators of jungle justice would face the full weight of the law, while urging residents to hand suspected criminals over to security agencies rather than taking the law into their own hands.
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