A police sergeant, identified as Ahmed Ali, has been shot dead by some soldiers in Benisheikh town, Borno State after his team allegedly intercepted a soldier in a vehicle conveying Indian hemp.
Local and security sources said that the incident occurred at the town’s entry checkpoint around 10am on Monday.
A security source said that the soldier, driving in an ash-coloured Acura sport utility vehicle with the registration number FKJ 761 AR, beat a security checkpoint and refused to stop despite a warning from the Police.
The source said, “His refusal to stop prompted the crack police team to shoot at his tyre, which forced him to stop; but in an effort to drive the vehicle to Benisheikh police station, Sgt Ali was shot dead by the soldiers.
“The soldier carrying the Indian hemp, identified as Sgt U. Joseph, along with his other colleagues, tried to stop the Crack Squad from confiscating the vehicle, which led to the shooting and Sgt Ali who was reversing with the vehicle got killed by the bullet.”
LEADERSHIP further gathered that the suspect is currently under the custody of the military, while the vehicle is parked at the Benisheikh police station.
A source from the military described the shooting as a mistake as a soldier named Ibrahim Waberi fired at the vehicle in an attempt to stop it from being moved by the deceased.
“His shot mistakenly hit the deceased but the accused soldier is in custody for investigation,” he said.
Neither the police nor the Army has issued a statement over the incident as at Tuesday.
When contacted by LEADERSHIP for inquiry, the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) said he was on leave but directed our correspondent to the his second in command whom when contacted promised to get back but was yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.
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