How 24 police, other security personnel were killed in Nigeria last week
Nigerian security officials bore the larger brunt of killings by non-state actors last week, accounting for 80 per cent of the 30 people killed.
Out of the 30 people killed last week (March 13 to 18), 20 were security personnel employed by the state while four were vigilantes; the other six were civilians. The 20 official security personnel consist of 16 police officers, two correctional service officers, one NDLEA officer and one soldier.
The higher number of security personnel killed continues from the previous week when 24 security officials – 18 police officers and six soldiers – were also killed. However, the total casualty figure of 30 people, killed by non-state actors last week, was significantly lower than the over 100 people killed the previous week.
Four of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones experienced at least one killing. Only the South-west and South-south recorded zero incidents.
PREMIUM TIMES compiled the incidents from media reports. Thus, unreported cases are not included.
Below are the recorded incidents:
South-east
An officer with the e National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was shot dead on Tuesday when gunmen attacked the head office of the agency in Ebonyi State.
A patient who was undergoing rehabilitation at the agency’s rehabilitation centre was also killed during the attack which happened around 2 a.m.
In Imo, Gunmen on Wednesday attacked and killed two officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) who were on patrol in Okigwe town.
The attack happened at Umulolo in the Okigwe area of the state.
Also in Imo, gunmen during the early hours of Saturday bombed the Umuguma Divisional Police Headquarters situated at the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo state.
The attackers also killed two police constabularies who were on duty.
North-west
Three civilians and 10 police officers were killed by bandits in Ngaski town and Gafara community of Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The House of Representatives member representing the area, Yusuf Tanko -Sununu, said the bandits had sent a letter that they would be attacking the community where a tomatoes processing factory is located.
In Jigawa, at least two people were killed in violence between farmers and herders. Residents said the casualty figure was larger but the police confirmed only two deaths.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the clash started after suspected herders killed a crop farmer with a bow and arrow after encroaching his farm.
North-central
Suspected bandits on Tuesday killed a divisional police officer in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State during an attack on Nasko village, the police said.
Police spokesperson in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, said in a statement that the senior officer, Mohammed Umar, was killed in a gunfight in which two other police officers and four vigilantes lost their lives.
Also in Niger, a police inspector was killed in a gun battle between the Joint Security Task Force in Niger State and bandits in Bangi, Mariga Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the security operatives killed over 100 bandits on Wednesday as they foiled a planned attack on a police station.
North-East
A newly recruited soldier identified only as Jamilu was confirmed killed after a deadly ambush by militants belonging to the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The soldier who joined the Nigerian Army in 2021 was killed when the terrorists attacked a military base in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Aggrieved Police Officers
Amidst the increased killing of police and other security personnel, junior police officers across the country are threatening to embark on a nationwide strike.
The officials cite poor pay and poor working conditions as the major reasons for the planned strike.
To prevent the strike from happening, PREMIUM TIMES reported how the police hierarchy asked senior officers to ’embark on enlightenment campaign’ of the junior officers ‘within their areas of responsibilities.’
“You are to implore all serving members to exercise caution at these trying times and intimate them Force management team is making robust efforts to improve the general welfare of policemen across board,” the police said in a circular sent to senior officers. Premium Times
