Protest In Gashua As Troops Allegedly Kill 4, Injure 13

Youths in Gashua community of Yobe State have protested the alleged killing of a tricycle rider and three others by troops deployed in the town to protect the residents.

It was gathered that the protesters who were peaceful trooped out the street to express their displeasure over the killing of the victims by suspected soldiers who opened fire on them.

The incident occurred yesterday at one of the military checkpoints in Tashan Kuka on Garin Alkali Road via Gashua, the headquarters of Bade local government area of the state.

It was learnt that some soldiers fired indiscriminately into hundreds of the protesters who were approaching their stop-and-search checkpoint at Tashan Kuka, where the killing of the tricycle operator occurred, which led to the protest.

One of the protesters, Adamu Bukar, who spoke his dialect, declared, “Bamu yar daba. Bamason Soje Anan” meaning “We will not accept the killing of our people. We don’t want the military to stay in Gashua town.”

Another source said five people were killed by the military during the clash and 14 others were rushed to the Gashua Specialist Hospital for treatment.

According to Hassan Bala, who claimed to be an eyewitness, the sudden arrival of the soldiers caused panic among the people who were at the military checkpoint of Tashan Kuka.

A security officer in the council confirmed to LEADERSHIP on phone that four people were killed and 13 sustained various degrees of injuries.

Sources said as soon as the tricycle operator was killed, irate youths took to the streets to protest the shooting, welding sticks and chanting songs to demand for justice.

The youths were said to have destroyed the checkpoint, houses and security patrol vehicles during the protest.

Meanwhile, the Emir of Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Suleiman, has called on the people to be calm and promised to get back to them as soon as the case was reported to the authorities.