There was tension in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria on Monday following an incident involving police officers who allegedly shot a commercial driver’s tyre after he refused to pay a bribe.
According to eyewitness accounts, the incident occurred around the Upper Iweka axis, a busy commercial hub notorious for heavy traffic and alleged police extortion of motorists.
The affected driver was said to have declined a bribe demand by officers stationed at a checkpoint along the road.
In reaction, one of the police officers reportedly shot one of the vehicle’s tyres, effectively immobilising the car in the middle of the road.
The act sparked immediate outrage among other road users and commercial drivers in the area.
Many of them parked their vehicles and refused to move, demanding justice for the victim.
They insisted that the officers must provide a replacement tyre for the affected driver before normal movement would resume.
The resulting traffic gridlock stretched across the major roads linking Upper Iweka to other parts of Onitsha, delaying business activities and causing frustration among commuters.
Eyewitnesses told Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) that the confrontation lasted for several hours before the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area arrived at the scene to restore calm.
After listening to complaints from both the victim and the protesting drivers, the DPO reportedly purchased a brand-new tyre and handed it over to the affected driver.
The moment the tyre was replaced, jubilant cheers erupted from the crowd, with many hailing the DPO’s intervention as a sign of hope amid worsening police-public relations.
Onitsha, one of Nigeria’s busiest commercial cities, has long been plagued by cases of police extortion, especially at checkpoints where officers are alleged to demand bribes from motorists, including commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators.
Despite repeated warnings by police authorities against such acts, reports of harassment and extortion persist.
Human rights organisations and civic groups in the state have repeatedly called for disciplinary actions against erring officers and the dismantling of illegal checkpoints.
The Anambra State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
However, civil society advocates insist that those responsible for the tyre shooting must be identified and sanctioned, warning that failure to address such cases will only deepen mistrust between the police and the public.
Meanwhile, the peaceful resolution of the situation brought temporary relief to road users, though many remain sceptical about long-term reforms.
Drivers in Onitsha say they are tired of daily harassment and want the Inspector General of Police to personally intervene in restoring professionalism and discipline within the force.
They have vowed to continue resisting extortion and standing in solidarity whenever incidents of abuse occur on the road.