Army confirms killing three policemen mistaken for kidnappers in Taraba

The Nigerian Army has said that its troops attached to 93
Battalion, Takum, Taraba State, shot dead three policemen and one
civilian in error after they were mistaken for kidnappers.

The army noted that the policemen later found to be on covert
operation refused to stop at a military checkpoint and were trailed
and shot dead by troops who had earlier received a distress
call.

The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa,
stated these in a release on Wednesday night, while reacting to an
earlier release by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank
Mba, who said the policemen, including an Inspector, were shot dead
by the soldiers.

The army spokesman said the “flagrant refusal of the suspected
kidnappers to stop at the three checkpoints prompted a hot pursuit
of the fleeing suspects by the troops.”

Musa said, “The attention of the Army Headquarters was drawn to
a release by DCP Frank Mba, the Force PRO, on the unfortunate
incident that occurred on August 6 in which troops of 93 Battalion,
Takum, pursued and exchanged fire with some suspected Kidnappers
who indeed turned out to be an Intelligence Response Team from the
Police Force Headquarters, Abuja on a covert assignment from Abuja
resulting in the death and injury of some members of the team.

“The said Nigerian Army troops, while responding to a distressed
call to rescue a kidnapped victim, exchanged fire with the
suspected kidnappers along Ibi-Wukari Road in Taraba State.

The suspected kidnappers numbering about 10 and driving in a
white bus with Registration Number, LAGOS MUS 564 EU, refused to
stop when they were halted by troops at three consecutive
checkpoints.

“The flagrant refusal of the suspected kidnappers to stop at the
three checkpoints prompted a pursuit of the fleeing suspects by the
troops. It was in this process that the suspected kidnappers, who
were obviously armed opened fire at the troops, thus prompting them
to return fire.

In the resultant firefight, four suspects were shot and died on
the spot while four others sustained various degrees of gunshot
wounds and two others reportedly missing.

“It was only after this avoidable outcome that one of the
wounded suspects disclosed the fact that they were indeed policemen
dispatched from Nigerian Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja for a
covert assignment.”

The army spokesman added that a Joint lnvestigation Panel to be
headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of
Criminal Investigations Department, DIG Mike Ogbizi, had been set
up on the incident.

He said, “However, following inquiries from a Police Station
officer who was asked by the commander of the army troops whether
he was aware of any Nigerian Police team being dispatched to
operate in the LGA, the Divisional Police Officer of Ibi Police
Division responded that he was not informed about any operation by
the police.

“This incident is indeed quite unfortunate and could have been
avoided through proper coordination and liaison. The Army
Headquarters and the Force Headquarters have agreed to constitute a
Joint lnvestigation Panel to be headed by the Deputy
Inspector-General of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation
Department, DIG Mike Ogbizi, to jointly investigate and report on
the true circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.

“Therefore, until the Joint Investigation Panel concludes and
submits its report, it will be premature to officially conclude and
speak on the real circumstances that caused this unfortunate
incident.”

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