BREAKING: Bauchi Youth Was Killed By A Soldier – Police Reveals

The Bauchi State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has reported that a youth was killed in the state by a soldier of the Nigerian Army.

According to the force, the youth, Habibu Aminu, was killed during a confrontation involving joint military forces from Operation Safe Haven and local youth in Lere town, located in the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

An eyewitness had told reporters that the incident resulted in one fatality and six individuals suffering gunshot injuries when military personnel conducted a raid on the residences of certain individuals linked to a dispute at the primary checkpoint in Lere.

Speaking on the incident on Wednesday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakil, told Daily Trust that the deceased, Aminu, was a resident of Lere village in the Tafawa Balewa LGA.

He noted that the conflict that led to Aminu’s unfortunate death stemmed from a disagreement between members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Lere Village and the Operation Safe Haven forces stationed in Tafawa Balewa.

Wakil said, “It’s important to note that the Command swiftly responded to the situation. Upon receiving the information, the Commissioner, Auwal Musa Mohammed, dispatched a Unit of the Mobile Police Force to the area for reinforcement. Additionally, a team of seasoned detectives has been constituted to conduct a professional, diligent, and timely investigation to ensure that justice is served.

“The officers involved in the incident will be identified and held accountable according to the law. The Commissioner of Police is committed to a meticulous investigation process that utilizes all necessary protocols, including technical and scientific tools. It is crucial to ensure that thorough investigations are carried out to provide justice and resolution in this matter.”

Earlier, Babawo Lauwawu, a survivor who sustained bullet wounds during the incident, told reporters that the chaotic situation started as a result of the purported enforcement of the curfew imposed on Lere.

“Yesterday (Tuesday), shortly after I left our Mai Shayi joint, we just heard that a curfew had been imposed on Lere town starting from 10 pm, and we didn’t know who and the reason for the imposition of the curfew, but we all complied and entered our houses around 9 pm.

“Unfortunately, around 9 pm, we just heard gunshots from security even before the time of the curfew while we were inside our houses and in the process, they shot me in my leg. We obeyed their directives and we didn’t know why they were shooting sporadically,” Lauwawu said.

Another victim who sustained gunshot wounds to his eyes, Zaharedden Mohammed, reported that there were indications suggesting that the District Head of Lere (Sarki) instructed the military to enforce a curfew in the town beginning at 10 PM.

Mohammed elaborated that a miscommunication occurred between the military personnel and a group of PDP supporters returning from a Local Government election campaign.

He said: “Some youth in the campaign team had a scuffle with the military, and the military decided to hide under the curfew to attack the individuals involved.

“We were at the market area around 9 pm when we just heard gunshots everywhere, and we ran away to scamper for safety, but in the process, two people were shot in their legs.

“When the gunshots subsided, we went to the Sarki’s palace to listen to the LGA Chairman. While waiting for the chairman, a local hunter working with the military was cautioned by the youth leader to stop shooting, and he declined. Before you know it, he pointed a rifle at my face, pulled the trigger and shot my eye. He damaged the entire left eye, and I now see with only one eye.”

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