Shiites kill top FCT police officer Usman Umar during protest

Seun Adeyeye 20:32 - 22 July 2019

Nigerian police fired tear gas to disperse Shi’ite Muslim protesters (Sabcnews)

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), police command is dead.

DCP Usman Umar, was killed during a protest by members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as the Shiites in Abuja on Monday, July 22, 2019.

His death has thrown the entire police community into mourning, with his colleagues describing the painful incident.

Usman was the Principal Staff Officer (PSO), to former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, before he was later appointed as the DCP, Operations.

The Police Force Headquarters has promised to issue a statement to that effect.

ALSO READ: Police in another bloody clash with Shiite protesters over El-Zakzaky

The Islamic sect has clashed with the Police and the Nigerian Army several times in its persistent protests against the detention of its spiritual leader, Ibrahim Elzakzaky, who was arrested alongside his wife, Zinat, in 2015.

40 Shiites were arrested on July 9, 2019 during a protest to the National Assembly that turned bloody as two officers were shot, although the sect said the officers were shot by other officers who opened fire on the IMN protesters.