Both parties trade blames as govt investigates alleged police attack on Civil Defense Corps offices

SUDDENLY, shots rang out, shattering the peace and quiet of Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

Frightened that the dreaded Boko Haram sect might have struck, people scampered for safety.

As it turned out, it was not the sect but a violent clash between some officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and those of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Indeed, there is no love lost between the two security agencies with relations between them frosty most times.

The NPF barely hides its resentment that NSCDC is encroaching on its turf of maintaining security, law and order, doing things that are traditionally ‘police work’ and may be doing it better.
On its part, the NSCDC officers say they are harassed, intimidated and challenged by the Police who would not like to see them discharge the duties they have been empowered to do by law

Last week, the frosty relationship turned downright hostile, restraint was thrown overboard as policemen and civil defense personnel literally exchanged blows.

“What happened was a disgrace to the two security agencies and an affront to our dear state, which has been rated as one of the most peaceful in the country”, an angry Sani Hamad, a resident of Jalingo told The Guardian.

He continued: “The police should take more of the blame.
“Policemen carry arms and tear gas. To the best of my knowledge, the Civil Defense Corps do not carry arms.

“The police fired the shots and threw tear gas, which affected innocent people simply because they are jealous of the growing acceptance being enjoyed by NSCDC from Nigerians while the police are getting more unpopular.

“Both agencies have succeeded in washing their dirty linens in public.

“We have been hearing and reading about Boko Haram but have not witnessed their activities in this state.

“ But with what the police and the Civil Defense did on Wednesday, I don’t think there is any difference between them and the sect.

“It is very unfortunate that the people whom we looked upon as the custodians of peace and security are the ones now sweeping the peace under the carpet. It would be sad if the whole thing died like that because it was the policemen that worsened the situation with their teargas and gun shots.”

The violence, which paralysed all activities for several hours in the state capita, was said to have been ignited when four policemen led by an Inspector obstructed men of the NSCDC from carrying out their duty.
According to the Taraba State NSCDC Commandant, Saphere M. Alhassan, his officers were prevented from discharging their duty to arrest, detain and prosecute.
“Four vans loaded with armed policemen attacked us here in our office premises,” he told The Guardian.

During the attack, innocent passers-by as well as others who had come to the Civil Defense Corps office for one thing or the other, including journalists, had tales of woe to tell as cameras, laptops, phones and other gadgets were broken.

A crime reporter of the state news organisation and some others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
An NSCDC officer told The Guardian:” To be frank with you, the police were at fault.

“They attacked us simply because the accused that we went to arrest was a relative of one of the policemen.

“Even though we have been trained on how to handle firearms, we have not received the delivery of any. “So, it is clear who fired the shots during the fracas.”

The Commandant conducted journalists around the premises to see the damages, including an NSCDC van riddled with bullets and the driver of which he said, was hit by police bullets and was receiving medical attention.

Tempers might not have cooled, as The Guardian was aware that individuals in both groups were still threatening fire and brimstone.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer Ibiam Mbaseki, while asserting that the NSCDC officers were in error, however stated, “the policemen who attacked the office premises of the NSCDC are on their own.

“ The men that went there were not sent by the Command. They went on their own. So, the police authority is not in support of them.”

He told The Guardian that the trouble started when a when a case that was already reported to the police was again taken to the NSCDC by the plaintiff.
According to Mbaseki, “the case was charged to court and the person was released on bail.

“The people went ahead to report the same case to the NSCDC”

Another senior police officer who spoke to The Guardian on the condition of anonymity said:

“Look, the truth must be told as it is. Our men are at fault. In the first place, those four policemen that stated the whole thing were not on duty. If at all they were, why then should they come and pack themselves in four Hilux Vans to go and attack people who were not armed?

“It is just unfortunate that I am not in position to take decision or I would have ordered those guys that went there be charged to face orderly room trial.

“Those are the bad eggs that are giving the police a bad name.

“I am sure you read what happened in Bayelsa last week where one of our men shot and killed a young man because he frowned at what was going on,” he said.

In reaction, the state government was said to have inaugurated a five-man committee to look into the matter and come up with recommendations that would help ensure such violence did not re-occur.

God punish olopa. Na only roger wey dem sabi. If boko haram or thief come, dem go run. Na only army sabi brush dem.
All the OCs wey order the attack suppose lose job, kawai. Jalingo no be wahala town. Make de no take style bring thieves with yusufu boys come Jalingo.