By Williams Anuku, Abuja
Pandemonium broke out Thursday morning at Rukpokwu (Mgbuchi) in Portharcourt, Rivers State as a trigger happy police officer allegedly shot dead a tricycle operator.
The unidentified police officer had shot the man and ran away, leaving his victim in the pool of his blood.
The development which angered other tricycle operators (Keke riders) around prompted them to block the road.
As the aggrieved members stage their protest, it will be recalled that similar incidents prompted a mass protest around the country against the high handedness and brutality of the police.
The police officer was said to have fired a shot directly at the driver killing him on the spot, Channels Television reported.
The death of the tricycle operator provoked the youths and other members of the community who set bonfires on streets in protest.
The protest in Rukpoku snowballed into a full-blown riot and spread to neighbouring Rumuodomaya community.
Another person has been reported shot dead following confrontations between the protesting youths and the police.
Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer Nnamdi Omoni who confirmed the incident to Channels Television said the report is still sketchy as at the time of this report.
Omoni said police are on ground to restore normalcy and promised to get back to our correspondent with full details on the incident.