Police accuse soldiers of killing 3 policemen to free kidnap suspect in Taraba

The soldiers were said to have opened fire on the police officers that wen to Taraba to arrest one Alhaji Hamisu, a kidnap suspect.

The police have accused some soldiers of killing three policemen in order to free a kidnap suspect arrested by the police in Taraba state.

Police spokesperson, Frank Mba in a statement on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, said the soldiers opened fire on the police officers along Ibi-Jalingo.

Mba said a civilian was also killed in the attack, while a police inspector and two sergeants died as a result of gunshot injuries.

The Police spokesperson said officers were able to escape with various degrees of injuries.

Before the incident, Mba sad the police operatives had gone to Taraba to arrest one Alhaji Hamisu, who has been “indicted in a series of high-profile kidnap incidents in the state.”

According to him, “the soldiers thereafter released the handcuffed suspect, Alhaji Hamisu, who is now on the run.”

"The Police Operatives, led by ASP Felix Adolije of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) reportedly came under sudden attack and serious shooting by soldiers of the Nigerian Army, along Ibi — Jalingo Road, Taraba State,” he said.

“The Operatives, who were taking the arrested suspect, Alhaji Hamisu to the Command Headquarters in Jalingo, were shot at severally by the soldiers despite sufficient proof that they are Police personnel on legitimate duty.

“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,” he said.

Mba described Hamisu as a a “notorious” kidnap kingpin who “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.”

He also said that the police have commenced full investigation into the matter.

However, the Nigerian Army has yet to react to the allegation levied against the soldiers.