Three monkeys and their owners were arrested by Port Harcourt police today. Two of the monkeys were shot and killed. Read More...
The owners were accused of “using the animals to constitute public nuisance” in the Mile One region of the city. A pedestrian was said to have complained of losing N10,000, after passing the area where the monkeys were entertaining people by displaying their acrobatic skills under the supervision of their owners.
Police officers from the Mile One station subsequently intervened, arresting the monkeys and their owners. However, things turned awry when two of the monkeys pounced on one of the policemen, and he shot them in self-defence.
“These people (monkey owners) use their monkeys for acrobatic display and when people gather to watch, they speak to their monkeys and they (monkeys) pounce on people.Before you know it, these same persons going about with monkeys will take advantage of the commotion and take people’s money. They have their followers around.
When we arrested them (monkeys and their owners), two of the three monkeys pounced on me as their owners were taken into police custody. I brought out my pistol and shot them,” said the police officer.
Some eyewitness claimed that the third monkey had supernatural powers, as policemen reportedly shot at it over 30 times, and it refused to die.
However, the policeman says the claim is false, and insists that third monkey did not attack him.
