Army Admits Killing 3 Police Officers In Error
The Nigerian Army has admitted that
its troops killed three officers attached to the Inspector General of
Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, in error.
A statement on behalf of the Army
said the troops were responding to a distress kidnapping call.
The statement added that the
suspected kidnappers who turned out to be police officers refused to stop for a
check at three different check-points mounted by soldiers but decide to shoot
sporadically at the troops prompting a return of fatal.
Below is the Army Press statement
The attention of the Army
Headquarters has been drawn to the Press Release by DCP FRANK MBA FORCE
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FORCE HEADQUARTERS ABUJA
Ref No.
CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.2/68 Date: 7th August, 2019 on the unfortunate
incident that occurred on the 6th of August 2019 in which troops of 93
Battalion Nigerian Army Takum pursued and exchanged fire with some
suspected kidnappers who indeed turned out to be an Intelligence Response
Team from the Police Force Headquarters Abuja on a covert assignment from Abuja
resulting in the death and injury of some members of the Team.
On the 6th of August 2019, the said Nigerian Army troops, while responding to a distressed call to rescue a kidnapped victim exchanged fire with the suspected kidnappers along Ibi-Wukari Road in Taraba State.
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.
It was in this process that the suspected kidnappers who were obviously armed
opened fire at the troops sporadicaly thus prompting them to return fire.
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. It
was only after this avoidable outcome that one of the wounded suspects
disclosed the fact that they were indeed Policemen dispatched from Nigerian
Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja for a covert assignment.
However, following inquiries
from a Police station officer who was asked by the commander of the Army
troops whether he was aware of any Nigerian Police team being dispatched to
operate in the LGA, the Divisional Police Officer of Ibi Police
Division responded that he was not informed about any operation by the Nigerian
Police Force Headquarters thus lending credence to the distressed call from
members of the community that the suspects who turned out to be Policemen on a
covert mission were rather suspected kidnappers.
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 such as
kidnapping amongst myriads of other internal security threats confronting our
nation of which the Nigerian Police is the lead Agency.
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. Therefore, until
the Joint Investigation Panel concludes and submits its report, it will be
premature to officially conclude and speak on the real circumstances that
caused this unfortunate but very avoidable unfortunate incident.
SAGIR MUSA
Colonel Acting Director
Army Public Relations
7 August 2019
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