Soldiers kill 3 policemen, 1 civilian to free arrested kidnap kingpin

By : Timileyin Omilana

Date: 7 August 2019 10:14pm WAT

NIGERIA-UNREST-SHIITES-RELIGION-MINORITIES

[FILES] Riot policemen wearing masks stand in a street during a violent protest of Shiite Muslims demanding the release of their detained leader Ibrahim Zakzaky, on July 23, 2019 in Abuja. - At least eight people were killed in clashes between Shiite Muslim protesters and Nigerian police in Abuja on July 22, with a journalist among those shot dead in the latest bloodshed over the detention of a religious leader. A policeman was also killed in the unrest, which broke out when hundreds of protesters from the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), a Shia sect, marched demanding the release of cleric Ibrahim Zakzaky, who has been held since December 2015 on charges including terrorism. (Photo by KOLA SULAIMON / AFP)

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Nigerian Police Force Wednesday accused some Nigerian troops of killing three policemen and one civilian.

Police spokesman Frank Mba in a statement said the soldiers also freed a suspected kidnap suspect, Alhaji Hamisu, who was arrested by the Police operatives, led by ASP Felix Adolije.

Mba said the policemen “came under sudden attack and serious shooting by soldiers of the Nigerian Army, along Ibi – Jalingo Road, Taraba State.”

He said “three policemen (comprising one Inspector and two Sergeants) and one civilian died as a result of gunshot injuries sustained in the attack while others sustained serious gunshot wounds.”

“The soldiers thereafter released the handcuffed suspect, Alhaji Hamisu, who is now on the run,” Mba added.

Mba noted the freed suspect has been on the police wanted list for “his complicity in several high-profile kidnap cases including the recent abduction of an Oil-Mogul in Taraba State wherein a ransom of about One Hundred Million Naira (N100,000,000) was paid.”

The Force said it has commenced investigation into the “bizarre and unfortunate incident.”

The military is yet to react to the accusations.