Nigerians have reacted to the ongoing media war between the Nigerian army and the police resulting from the killing of some policemen by soldiers in Taraba State, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV had reported that three officers and a civilian were shot dead by soldiers at a checkpoint in the state. The policemen had arrested a kidnap suspect and were taking him along with them when the soldiers opened fire.
The army later said the soldiers mistook the officers for kidnappers.
Sagir Musa, Army Spokesman, said the soldiers were responding to a distress call on a purported kidnap incident within the area.
But reacting in a statement made available to Igbere TV, Frank Mba, Police Spokesman, said it is not true the officers did not identify themselves at the military checkpoint where they were shot dead.
Mba said the late officers had identified themselves as coming from the force headquarters.
He accused the army of being insensitive, insincere and unpatriotic in the manner it was handling the matter.
Using the hash tag #ProvideAnswersNigerianArmy, the police spokesman asked the army to provide answers to the following questions:
- Where is the notorious kidnapper, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume ‘rescued’ by the soldiers?
- How and why was Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume released by the soldiers?
- How could a kidnap suspect properly restrained with handcuffs by the Police escape from the hands of his military rescuers?
- If Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume is a ‘‘victim of kidnap’’ as claimed, and properly rescued by soldiers, why was he not taken to the Army Base for documentation purposes and debriefing in line with the Standard Operating Procedure in the Nigerian Army?
- Why were the Police Operatives shot at close range even after they had identified themselves as Police Officers on legitimate duty as evident in the video now in circulation?
Nigerians have continued to react to the posers, with many describing the development as unfortunate, while others mocked the police of being served the same meal they have been serving innocent Nigerians.
See some reactions obtained by Igbere TV below…
