There is palpable tension in Yelwa area, a suburb of Bauchi metropolis, following the alleged stabbing of three residents by a police officer, which led to the death of two of them.
Our correspondent who was at the scene observed that the youths of the area, both males and females, young and old, blocked the Dass road from Elim Church junction to the Yelwa Divisional Headquarters, using drums and water tanks to block the road forcing road users to divert into Yelwa Kagadama in order to avoid the obstruction. The youths also burned tires on the road.
The angry protesters were seen pelting stones and objects at the police and inside the Yelwa Police Station.
The youths, who were demanding the release of the killer cop, tried to force their way into the station, a move that was resisted by the policemen on duty.
The youths then started hurling stones and other objects into the station, which forced the policemen to fire canisters of teargas into the crowd in attempts to disperse them. They, however, retreated and regrouped.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State Command, Ahmed Wakil, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH in a telephone interview.
He said that the suspect had an encounter with a patrol team comprising the Men of the Police Force from the Yelwa Division and members of a Vigilante and Peace Committee, stabbing three of the vigilantes.
He added that they were rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, where two of them were confirmed dead by a medical doctor.
Wakil, a Superintendent of Police said, “it was quite an unfortunate incident. The Command confirmed that a case of culpable homicide which happened at 10.30pm.
“As you are aware, the Commissioner of Police ordered all Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders to constantly clamp down on red zones that tend to give residents sleepless nights.
“So, the DPOs and the Area Commanders have taken their area of responsibility, they are going round to clamp down on those red zones. Part of the red zones where our men were on patrol was where they had an encounter with a police officer.
“He was there at a black spot at Rafin Zurfi, an encounter occured between him and the patrol team. The patrol team comprises of men of the Nigeria Police Force from the Yelwa Division and members of the security committee.
“During the encounter with them, he used a jack knife and injured three among them. The Police later rushed the three people namely, Nazif Mohammed (19) of Yelwan Lebra, Abdulmalik Mohammed (22) of Sabon Gidan Yelwa and Sadik (second name yet unknown) (23) also of Sabon Gidan Yelwa, to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, where a medical doctor certified two of them dead.”
The PPRO said the officer who perpetrated the dastardly act had been arrested and is in their custody.
“The Commissioner of Police has directed that the officer should be arrested.
“Moreover, the Commissioner of Police has sympathized with the victims’ families. He is sending his condolence to their families and to the people of Bauchi state,” he said.
He urged members of the public to remain calm because the officer would be tried, dismissed and charged to court for prosecution.
When asked of the identity of the police officer, he said, “it is still sketchy, but he was there at the scene and he had an encounter with them.”
Later, the Command’s spokesman, in a statement, disclosed the identity of the erring police Officer.
He said: “On 24th March, 2022 at about 2230hrs, a Patrol team attached to E’ Division while on visibility patrol around a black spot at Rafin zurfi, Yelwa arrested F/no. 519342 PC Lukman Madaki (29) of Toro Division attached to Sports Office, Bauchi State Police Command Headquarters.
“In a bid to resist arrest, PC Lukman employed the use of Jack knife, stabbed and injured the following members of the Peace and Security committee attached to the patrol team.”
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