.Inspector, sergeant killed
Two police officers, an inspector and a sergeant, have lost their lives when trouble broke out last Sunday between men of the local vigilante group and the police in Allawa town, Shiroro council, Niger State.
The two police officers, Inspector Alfa Idris and Sergeant Joseph Peter, were killed when they went to the town to arrest some suspects.
Some villagers, according to investigations, were picked up from the town’s mosque almost two weeks ago by men of the vigilante group when they were fingered in crisis that led to some villagers sustaining various degrees of injuries in a mosque.
Men of the vigilante group in Allawa town alleged to be members of “a notorious gang” headed by one Lawal Kwali had been on the wanted list of both Niger and Kaduna states police commands.
The gang was alleged to have kidnapped seven people from the mosque, who were yet to be rescued.
Two of the people arrested in connection with the kidnap of the seven people, a source further hinted, gave useful information to the police which led to the late Inspector Alfa Idris and Sargeant Joseph Peter being shortlisted to head the five-man team despatched to arrest the suspects for questioning.
Our correspondent gathered that in the course of making the arrests men of the vigilante attacked the team resulting in the death of first, Sergeant Joseph Peter while injured Inspector Alfa Idris was rushed to the Kagara hospital for medical attention.
Some military men believed to be from the, “special force”, it was learnt, stormed the Kagara hospital and arrested five policemen leaving Inspector Alfa to bleed to death as the hospital personnel on duty apparently out of fear took to their heels in the confusion that ensued.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger State Command, DSP Bala Elkana, when contacted confirmed the story.
He explained that the Nigerian Army authorities in Minna released the arrested policemen after being informed about the incident.
The PPRO also told journalists that the chairman of the Allawa town vigilante group, who is believed to be the brain behind the whole crisis that led to the death of the two policemen and some of his members would be invited for questioning.
