Nigerian Policeman Accidentally Kills Colleague While Firing at #EndBadGovernance Protesters in Katsina

Nigerian Policeman Accidentally Kills Colleague While Firing at #EndBadGovernance Protesters in Katsina In a tragic incident during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests in Katsina State, a police officer accidentally shot and killed a fellow officer while attempting to disperse peaceful demonstrators.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Videos obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday show the fallen officer, still in uniform, lying in a pool of blood after being inadvertently shot by his colleague. The footage, widely circulated on social media, has sparked outrage and condemnation.

One social media user, A.O. Yusuf, decried the incident, stating, “In the peak of unprofessionalism, a careless policeman killed his colleague and harmed civilians in Katsina.” Another commentator, Salako, lamented the situation, suggesting that without the video evidence, officials might have blamed the protesters. “This is a very sad & unfortunate watch. It is also evident that the Nigerian Police Force are the cascading indices of violence in the ongoing protests.”

The police have yet to release an official statement regarding the incident. SaharaReporters’ attempts to reach State Police Spokesman ASP Sadiq Aliyu for comments were unsuccessful, with the spokesperson unable to confirm or deny the occurrence.

In response to the escalating violence, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun expressed concern over the safety of officers, noting that several had been killed or injured during the protests. “The Nigeria Police Force has placed all units on red alert. Our officers are fully mobilised and prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to public safety and order,” he said. Egbetokun also reported damage to police stations and attacks on security personnel in various states, including the murder of one officer and serious injuries to others.

In response to the unrest, the Katsina State government imposed a 24-hour curfew in Dutsinma LGA, effective immediately. A statement from Abdullahi Garba-Faskar, secretary to the state government, also banned all unusual gatherings and protests across the state. The government justified these measures by citing reports of protests being hijacked by miscreants who engaged in vandalism and theft.

Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, spokesperson for the state police command, rejected claims that police had used live ammunition on protesters. “We wish to dismiss the misinformation that police personnel shot live ammo at protesters, resulting in loss of lives,” he asserted. “We assure the public that our officers exercised maximum restraint and professionalism in handling the situation.”

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