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On Wednesday, August 7th, the Nigeria Police Force accused soldiers of killing three of their personnel while freeing a kidnap suspect in Taraba state. (Read HERE)
The Nigerian army has now admitted that its men killed three police operatives and a civilian in Taraba, but said the men were mistaken for kidnappers.
According to army spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, troops of the 93 Battalion in Takum, ‘exchanged’ fire with the policemen after they failed to stop at three checkpoints. He said the soldiers were responding to a distress call that someone had been kidnapped. It turned out, he said, that the people attacked were members of the IG Intelligence Response Team from the Police Headquarters Abuja.
According to his statement, a joint investigation committee headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Investigations Department, DIG Mike Ogbizi has now been been tasked to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing of the police operatives.
Read the full statement below...
“The attention of the Army Headquarters has been drawn to the Press Release by DCP Frank Mba, Force Public Relations Officer, 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 sporadically 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 investigation 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.”
Their headache
Nigeria my country is an interesting season movie
Everyday on the road, I see what policemen are doing? The bribery and extortion, from boys with swag, car owners, danfo drivers, keke/okada riders. I have never seen police harassing a begger before. Police no get dignity. The army should keep it up.
What an expensive mistake.
Inukwa Akiko di ka nsii...🙄🙄😖😩😵
That’s how dey mistake n kill innocent pple everyday... this one now is loud coz it’s policemen
This just shows that our security agencies lack intelligence report and proper communication system on ground. This was an avoidable disaster and the Police men componded the matter by Sometimes wearing mufty while carrying guns publicly especially SARS operatives, you see them looking like hoodlums.
Long story cut short, kidnapper has escaped. Its a conspiracy ya'll
Very fat lie
Too bad, it's quite unfortunate! May their souls rest in peace! Mum Jay take note!
confused and grave liars. how about the suspect?
Nobody lie pass Army..They know how to construct lies.
You're correct. Don't be surprised they've been protecting that criminal. Why release the man when they could've kept him in their custody until after their investigation?
Why are Nigeria Army defending the murderous scoundrels? The normal procedure is to suspend the soldiers pending a thorough investigation. Unfortunately, our Nigerian army has been reduced to military defence wing of the Fulani Herdsmen!
Maybe they were indeed kidnappers, these policemen can do wonders with their uniforms and arms, the soldiers are not left out in this rot too.
So unfortunate for such to happen.
Tales by moonlight. Conspiracy smelling to the high heavens. Lives wasted.
So the army were trying to rescue a kidnapped victim and started shooting at the bus where the victim was supposed to be in? God please send small sense to this country
Why do you people think like mumu...u did not see that dey shot at the army first...u will just come here and be saying nonsense
Ask dem
Anonymous u are a champion olodo. So if they shoot at u then u kill the person u are trying to rescue? Do u ever watch how the FBI or foreign police handle similar situations?
If d policemen were on official duty dey would av stopped for d military men. Secondly why did d policemen opened fire when pursued? Something is fishy about d black uniform men.
Human life worth nothing. Except that of a politician or cows
Me think the wounded men should be able to shed more light on this unfortunate incident, hope they will also not ended up dead in days to come to cover up what really took place. We are waiting for the outcome of this investigation May the soul of the departed rest in peace. Truly, the last days are here
Na them them
Just can you imagine? Negodi!! I cry for my country
Na so. I like this country no be small.
inefficient security. so sad
I will rather blame those police men for not stopping at 3 check points to identify themselves. Maybe the underestimated the Nigerian Army because of the way they ridicule themselves with civilians
Trust me they were kidnappers.. Nigerian police kidnap, and rob these days.
Ewu nda Tara okoro nda. That is my neighbors goat str the okoro in farm. No wuery because my own goat can as well enter my neighbors farm and eat okoro or maize.
Kingdom that rises against itself can never stand. That is the situation in our country is gradually going to. But God will deliver us.
This scenerio should play itself again and again till the Nigerian Police stop acting and operating like criminals.
why Refuse to stop at a check point?
mistakenly women are widows, children Orphans, Mothers mourning uncontrollably
The challenge here is that both agencies cannot be trusted anymore, with numerous takes of cover-ups and police units behaving like mini robbery gangs across the country, while the army seems to HV defined their own laws....this one alleged this, the other alleged that. If u say wear body-cams now they will say no because a lot of their activities are questionable...
Where is the person arrested by the police?
It now clear that Big Army support this herdsmen this is a prove