Following a horrific incident on Ibi-Wukari Road in Taraba State on Tuesday where four police officers who were suspected to be kidnappers were shot dead by troops of the Nigerian Army, military authority has commenced investigation into its cause.
In a press release signed by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, the army lamented over the unfortunate gun battle and called for a full-scale investigation, while maintaining that information on the identity of the officers were initially withheld by the Nigerian Police.
The police had earlier alleged that soldiers killed three of its operatives and one civilian, and set free a kidnap kingpin, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume, who they claimed was the victim. The suspect was said to have been on their wanted list for complicity in several high-profile kidnap cases, including the abduction of an oil tycoon in Taraba who later paid a ransom of one hundred million (100,000,000) naira.
According to Colonel Musa, troops of the 93 Battalion pursued and exchanged fire with the police Intelligence Response Team after a distress call by members of the community that kidnappers had abducted a victim. He said the team refused to stop at three different military check-points, an action which prompted the troops to act.
” The suspected kidnappers numbering about ten (10) and driving in a white bus with Reg No LAGOS MUS 564 EU refused to stop when they were halted by troops at three consecutive check points. The flagrant refusal of the suspected kidnappers to stop at the three checkpoints prompted a hot pursuit of the fleeing suspects by the troops.
” In the resultant fire fight, four (4) suspects were shot and died on the spot while four (4) others sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds and 2 others reportedly missing.”
He maintained that even police officers in the area were not aware of the presence of this covert team who were mistaken for kidnappers, causing a situation which should have been avoided. He expressed regret over the eventuality and asserted the Nigerian Army’s readiness to investigate the matter.
” This incident is indeed quite unfortunate and could have been avoided through proper coordination and liaison as the Nigerian Police Force are partners in the fight against crimes… .
”In order to avert future occurrences of this nature, the Army Headquarters and the Force Headquarters of the Nigerian Police have agreed to constitute a Joint lnvestigation Panel to be headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, DIG Mike Ogbizi, to jointly investigate and report on the true circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.”