Fear grips policemen over mystery killings

Fear has now gripped officers and men of the Bauchi police command over the continued killing of policemen in the state.

The killing of policemen is also a source of worry to stakeholders and the ordinary citizens, even as fingers are being pointed at the dreaded Boko Haram sect.
More worrisome is the fact that the killings are coming at a time the command introduced a stop-and-search operation two months ago following the attack on the Bauchi Federal Prisons in which 700 prisoners were set free.

But even with the stop-and-search, policemen, especially those of the rank and file, have continued tos find themselves in a most vulnerable position.
The first victim of the police killings was a sergeant, Abdulmuminu Adamu attached to the private residence of Bauchi Commissioner for Special Duties, Musa Mu’azu Badara.

Adamu’s death was attributed to the Boko Haram sect, but the sect members have denied their involvement in the killing.
“I was on duty in my station when a colleague called me to be careful, that one of us had been killed. We are yet to recover from it when two others were killed again. Now we have started praying for God to protect us because you don’t know who will be next,” a constable who pleaded anonymity told Daily Sun.
There are heightened fears that the killings could spread to other parts of the state unless something drastic was done. According to a public analyst, it is almost impossible to get a clue about the killings even as he blames the police intelligence for lack of innovation.
Adamu’s killing was most pathetic. The assailants called at his residence, which is situated around Zango in the Federal Low-Cost area of Bauchi metropolis at about 8 p.m. when the commissioner was not at home.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants had approached the commissioner’s house on a motorcycle. They opened fire at the policeman who had just come out of the mosque after the Muslim evening prayer. He was shot on the head and stomach as he bent down to fix his boots after the prayers. He died instantly. They later shot into the air as they escaped from the area through the bush path linking the area with Yelwa, a suburb of Bauchi.
The eyewitness said he noticed some strange faces inside the mosque at the time of the prayers. It only dawned on the worshippers that the people were evil when they vanished after the incident.
Till date, Murjinatu, Adamu’s wife of 10 years, has continued to mourn her husband. The mother of five boys cried profusely as the news of her husband’s death reached her.

“Who will take care of these children for me? Why did this kind of thing happen to me? Please let the government not forget my husband who died in active duty. They should not allow us to suffer. Please they should honour him by releasing his gratuity so that we will survive,” the fulltime housewife told Daily Sun at the deceased’s residence in Nasarawa, Bauchi metropolis.

An eyewitness told Daily Sun that the gunmen who operated on a motorbike stopped and shot three policemen at a checkpoint along Gombe Road in the metropolis. Two of them died on the spot while the other one is still receiving treatment at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital.
As reactions continue to trail the killings of the policemen, mum is the word from the police command.

Reacting to the killings, Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija, fingered members of the Boko Haram as the gunmen that carried out the killings. He assured residents that the government has taken adequate measures to protect their lives and property.
Dandija said: “In keeping with the primary responsibility of the government, it has come up with well through-out measures directed towards the restoration of tranquility, law and order in the state. While most of the measures are covert, others are avert, such as the massive deployment of security agents who are carrying out

24-hour surveillance and patrol missions.
“As part of the avert measures, henceforth, operators of commercial motorcycles are to operate during the day time only. The use of commercial motorcycles from 6.00pm to 7.00am is hereby banned forthwith. Riders of private motorcycles are hereby banned from carrying passengers during the period of restriction i.e. from 6.00pm to 7.00am, and are requested to submit to the routine stop and check exercises being carried out by security agents.”

 

Posted: at 2-11-2010 10:54 AM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac

It is really sad that innocent lives (policemen) are being lost just like that. It is equally sad how innocent civilians were deliberately killed by police during Boko-Haram crises in the same town (BAUCHI). It is a pity for both sides.

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Posted: at 2-11-2010 07:59 PM (14 years ago) | Hero

I am very surprised that very few people blame boko haram on NP. If it is MEND many of them will open their dirty mouth and bark like dogs. In as much as I don't support any of those bandits, let us look into this case very well. Boko haram has killed a lot of people more than any other militants in Nigeria. The worst part of it is that they kill anyhow, both women, children, police officer, disabled etc. Very wicked people.

Posted: at 3-11-2010 03:03 AM (14 years ago) | Upcoming