A member of the police force, whose identity remains unknown, accidentally shot and killed a fellow officer while attempting to disperse peaceful demonstrators in Katsina State.
Videos circulating on Twitter(X) depict the slain officer, dressed in uniform, lying in a pool of blood following the incident.
As of now, the police authorities have not released an official statement concerning this occurrence, and efforts made by CirclesonTV to elicit a response from the State Police Spokesman, ASP Sadiq Aliyu, have been unsuccessful.
When approached for comment, ASP Sadiq Aliyu neither confirmed nor denied the incident, stating, "Let me call you back."
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, expressed dismay over the deaths and injuries sustained by police officers during the #EndBadGovernance protest on Thursday. Egbetokun emphasized the heightened state of readiness within the Nigeria Police Force in response to the ongoing situation, stating, "Police stations have been destroyed. There have been attempts to take over government houses. In places like FCT, Kaduna, Kano, and Gombe, among others, we recorded incidents of unprovoked attacks on our security personnel, resulting in the reported murder of one policeman and serious injuries to others."
In light of these events, the Katsina state government announced the enforcement of a 24-hour curfew in Dutsinma LGA, as communicated in a statement released by Abdullahi Garba-Faskar, the secretary to the state government. The statement also included a prohibition on public gatherings and all forms of protests across the state.
Regarding the allegations of police personnel using live ammunition against protesters, the spokesperson of the state police command, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, sought to clarify the situation, stating, "We wish to dispel the misinformation that police personnel shot live ammo at protesters, resulting in loss of lives. We assure the public that our officers displayed the utmost restraint and professionalism in handling the violent protesters."
During a regrettable display of unprofessional conduct, A police officer in Katsina aiming at protesters shot but mistakenly killed his colleague. #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria pic.twitter.com/NQqw7QlD33
— Nelson Akange (@nelsonakange) August 2, 2024