It was a chaotic show of shame at the Borno State Government House in Maiduguri on Thursday as soldiers and policemen engaged in gun battle over rice and semo meant for internally displaced persons to mark the Ramadan fast..
The government has since Monday distributed large amounts of rice and Semovita to poor residents.
On Thursday, thousands of people converged at the entrance of the government building in Maiduguri, forming an lengthy queue of men, women and the aged who hoped for either a 25kg bag of rice or Semovita, or both.
As the distribution started, police barred vehicles from accessing the venue, except those on special permission.
At about 11am, a Nigerian Army truck showed up, insisting on gaining access to the venue where rice and Semovita were being shared.
Suspecting that the soldiers were trying to help themselves to the handouts, police officers demanded they turn back immediately.
This led to an argument and an angry soldier allegedly opened fire, injuring a policeman in the leg, witnesses said.
The police responded and gunshots rent the air as thousands gathered scampered for safety.
It took the intervention of other senior security officers to arrest the situation from degenerating.
One of the army officers drafted to help control the crowd, identified only as Idris, a lieutenant, did not go free, as angry policemen who accused him of instigating the crisis, beat him up.
It took the intervention of the commander of the operation Lafiya Dole, Lucky Irabor, a Major General, was called in by the Borno State Attorney General, Kaka Shehu Lawan, to restore order, reports Premium Times.
Calm returned after Mr. Irabor arrived alongside the state police commissioner and the director of State Security Service.
Addressing the parties in conflict, Mr. Irabor described the situation as “shameful and highly unbecoming of uniformed officers”. “What is a bag of rice that will give you the cause to be angry? Bag of rice? It is shameful. If the world hears that it is because of bag of that made police and soldiers to be fighting, is it not shameful? Let us not behave like children: all of us have children at home. Soldiers and policemen should be seen to be matured in their dispositions at all times”.
He urged the conflicting parties to calm down. “While everyone is clapping for good that we have been doing, let us not also do things that will make them to begin to stone us. I want you to calm your nerves, because in a family you are likely to find incidents of misunderstanding.
As a result of the incident, the government suspended the distribution of the freebies, leaving expectant beneficiaries disappointed and frustrated.
I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia.
Posted: at 23-06-2016 07:45 PM (7 years ago) | Addicted Hero
michaelc80 at 23-06-2016 07:49 PM (7 years ago) (m)
Y'ALL should be very very CAREFULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ooooooooooooooooooooo
Posted: at 23-06-2016 07:49 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Wet in concern Nigerian Army and Police with rice distribution? Where is NEMA, social welfare, staff ofministry of interior, volunteers??? The army is supposed to engage BH while the police maintain law and order. I don even blamed them , what do you expect from a country with a bad leader? he promised Nigeriansheaven and earth before he came into power only for him to be voted in and then he started traveling the world using funds from our treasury, neglecting the masses and making things worse and then you expect the police and soldiers not to be involved in a shoot out huh? story!
Posted: at 23-06-2016 08:12 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
dickieponga at 23-06-2016 09:56 PM (7 years ago) (m)
Quote from: Nash Festus on 23-06-2016 07:49 PM
Y'ALL should be very very CAREFULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ooooooooooooooooooooo
I no u r an ardent supporter of Dr Kison but we can't have 2 Kisons here cos it would be madness... Don't u think it would be nice for u bring out ur own phrase instead of copying him.. E be like say dat na why dem ban Toshibaelect cos since e start like u not too long ago we never hear of am...
Posted: at 23-06-2016 09:56 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
michaelc80 at 23-06-2016 10:28 PM (7 years ago) (m)
Quote from: dickieponga on 23-06-2016 09:56 PM
I no u r an ardent supporter of Dr Kison but we can't have 2 Kisons here cos it would be madness... Don't u think it would be nice for u bring out ur own phrase instead of copying him.. E be like say dat na why dem ban Toshibaelect cos since e start like u not too long ago we never hear of am...
He is my mentor, it's not as if am copying him I just like his way
Posted: at 23-06-2016 10:28 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
michaelc80
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rowlandb
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