Two killed as Nigeria Police, youth clash in Kebbi

A violent clash between the police and some youth in Warra, Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi, led to the death of two people, while several others were injured.

Mohammed Mainagge, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kebbi, who confirmed this, said in Birnin Kebbi on Friday that the clash occurred on Wednesday.

He said that two persons died in the clash, which ensued when some youth attempted to burn down the divisional police station in the area.

Mr. Mainagge, a deputy superintendent of police, however, said that normalcy had since been restored in the area, while investigations into the causes of the clash had commenced.

The Chief Orientation and Mobilization Officer, National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Ngaski Local Government Area, Yusuf Umar, said the clash was triggered by a dispute between Suleiman Aliyu and a police officer, Bala Atto.

He said that his (Umar’s) efforts to resolve the dispute proved abortive.

Mr. Umar said that attempts by Mr. Atto to arrest Mr. Aliyu were resisted by some youth, who accused the police of victimization. He said that Aliyu took the matter to court, while the magistrate referred the matter to the police for investigation.

He said the police investigation found that Mr. Aliyu had a case to answer for assaulting a police officer in uniform and the court ordered that he should be remanded in prison.

He said that when the court refused to grant bail to the accused, some irate youth, who protested against the court’s verdict, became unruly and violent in their agitation for Mr. Aliyu’s bail.

Mr. Umar said that in the ensuing fracas, the police attempted to restore calm and fired some shots which led to the death of two persons.

Source: Premiumtimes