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Police Make Strong Accusation Against Nigerian Army Over Death Of Officers In Taraba

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We’ve Identified Hotspots For Arms Trafficking In Nigeria - Police

The police say the Nigerian Army is being insensitive and unpatriotic in the manner it is handling the killing of three policemen by soldiers in Taraba state.

Naija News understands that the Nigerian Police made the accusation against the Nigerian Army in a statement on Thursday by the Force Spokesman, Frank Mba.

In the statement released on Thursday, the Police said it is not true the officers did not identify themselves at the military checkpoint where they were shot dead.

Recall that three police officers and a civilian were shot dead by soldiers at a checkpoint in the state.

The policemen had arrested a kidnap suspect and were taking him along with them when the soldiers opened fire at them.

The army in its statement addressing the killing of the police officers said the soldiers mistook the officers for kidnappers.

But reacting via a statement, Mba said the late officers had identified themselves as coming from the force headquarters but were still killed by the Nigerian Army officers.

“The most important question arising from the Nigerian Army Press Release is: Where is Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume? Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume is a millionaire kidnapper arrested by the Police but paradoxically treated as a ‘kidnap victim’ by the Soldiers and subsequently ‘rescued’ by them. Where is he? Where is the rescued kidnapper?” he asked.

“Secondly, the press release was silent on the source of the alleged distress report or identity of the complainant, on the strength of whose report, the Army claimed had informed their decision to engage in the purported chase and rescue operation.

“Needless to state that in the true spirit of transparency and accountability, the Nigerian Army ought to have arrested the purported distress caller – if any – for obviously and deliberately furnishing them with false and misleading information. Besides, such arrest should in fact be made public!,” the Police spokesman said.

The police spokesman asked the army to provide answers to the following questions:

  • Where is the notorious kidnapper, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume ‘rescued’ by the soldiers?
  • How and why was Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume released by the soldiers?
  • How could a kidnap suspect properly restrain with handcuffs by the Police escape from the hands of his military rescuers?
  • If Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume is a ‘‘victim of kidnap’’ as claimed, and properly rescued by soldiers, why was he not taken to the Army Base for documentation purposes and debriefing in line with the Standard Operating Procedure in the Nigerian Army?
  • Why were the Police Operatives shot at close range even after they had identified themselves as Police Officers on legitimate duty as evident in the video now in circulation?