A police inspector serving with the Mobile Police Unit (MOPOL) has allegedly shot and killed a soldier in Futuk, Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Reports said the police officer was on escort duty for a truck said to be carrying minerals linked to a Chinese mining company. The minerals were suspected to have been taken illegally from the Yalo mining sites.
Trouble started when soldiers at a checkpoint in Futuk signaled the truck to stop, but the driver reportedly ignored the order. The soldiers chased the truck and managed to intercept it, leading to a confrontation with the police officer on duty.
According to reports, the disagreement between the soldiers and the police officer turned violent, and the officer allegedly opened fire, hitting one of the soldiers.
The soldier was quickly taken to a hospital in Gombe State but was later confirmed dead.
The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 33 Artillery Brigade, Major Atang Hallet Solomon, confirmed the incident but declined to go into details because of the ongoing investigation.
“Our relationship with the police remains cordial, and a joint investigation is underway to determine the immediate and remote causes of the incident,” Major Solomon said.
Major Solomon also explained that investigators were still trying to confirm the content and ownership of the truck.
He noted that the driver escaped, but the police officer linked to the shooting had been taken into custody.
On his part, Police Public Relations Officer in Bauchi State, SP Ahmad Wakili, said the Commissioner of Police would visit the scene on Thursday.
“Further details will be provided after the on-the-spot assessment,” he said.
