The police on Wednesday announced the killing of three officers and severe injuries on other personnel after Nigerian soldiers opened fire on a police team in Taraba.

The incident occurred along Ibi-Jalingo Road, police said. The officers were of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

Felix Adolije, an assistant police superintendent, led the officers to the state to arrest a suspected kidnap kingpin whom the police identified as ‘Alhaji Hamisu.’

The police officers “came under sudden attack and serious shooting by soldiers of the Nigerian Army,” police spokesperson, Frank Mba, said in a statement.

The officers were taking Mr Hamisu to the Command Headquarters in Jalingo when the soldiers opened fire on them “despite sufficient proof that they are police personnel on legitimate duty,” the police said.

A civilian was also killed alongside the inspector and two sergeants by the soldiers, while an undisclosed number of others sustained injuries.

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

The police identified Mr Hamisu as a notorious kidnap kingpin who has been on the police wanted list for his alleged complicity in several high-profile kidnap cases, including the recent abduction of an oil dealer in Taraba State.

The oil dealer, who was not named in the police statement, paid N100 million to regain his freedom, police said.

An assistant inspector-general has been sent to the state to coordinate treatment of the injured police officers. The remains of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue.

Inspector-General Muhammad Adama has ordered an urgent investigation into “the bizarre and unfortunate incident,” Mr Mba, a deputy police commissioner, added in the statement.

Sagir Musa, a spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, did not immediately return requests for comments from PREMIUM TIMES on the incident.

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

bishopkay:
Or maybe what happened is a section of the team decided to go rogue, kill the uncooperative members of the team, make it look like they were ambushed, got some self inflicted injuries to make the story believable, collect their share of the 100M naira ransom Alhaji Mamisu offered them and turned him loose.

I'd trust a snake in my house first before I trust a Nigerian police officer! The lie those people tell would put the devil's title as prince of lies to shame and I am sure the devil shudders and grumbles each time they unleash their lying prowess.

stuffs4me:
The military is the number criminal body in the country. They murdered policemen and set a notorious Fulani kidnapper free just because he is a Fulani.

simple250:




Calm down ,we have criminals that use army camouflage to operate when you see them they kite up very well just like our army .blame your government so I side police van or car there is no secret CCTV for recording even if it voice recording .

bishopkay:
Or maybe what happened is a section of the team decided to go rogue, kill the uncooperative members of the team, make it look like they were ambushed, got some self inflicted injuries to make the story believable, collect their share of the 100M naira ransom Alhaji Mamisu offered them and turned him loose.

I'd trust a snake in my house first before I trust a Nigerian police officer! The lie those people tell would put the devil's title as prince of lies to shame and I am sure the devil shudders and grumbles each time they unleash their lying prowess.

Blue3k:
Man this funny in satirical satirical manner. Lol friendly fire is fool. The police not only get murdered by soldiers they lose suspect and let alleged criminals escape. These police officers sound like pansies if they dont get to bottom of this.



The case needs to be investigated by an outside department. There's clearly something rotten in Denmark.