PDP govs condemn killing of police officers, commercial motorcyclist

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum has condemned the killing of three policemen and a civilian by men of the Nigerian Army in Taraba.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Bayelsa, Seriake Dickson, in a statement he issued yesterday in Abuja also condemned the killing of Mr. Chimaobi Nwaogwu, a commercial motorcyclist in Abia State by a security personnel on Wednesday.

Dickson described the killings as “unfortunate, sad, tragic, wicked, malicious, unprofessional and totally unacceptable” to the people of the country.

“We wish to reiterate that the killings are unnecessary. It is sad that a security personnel, who is paid and maintained with tax-payers’ money, could turn around to kill the person he was paid to protect.”

Dickson called on the Federal Government to redress the situation immediately as it portrayed “signs of inefficiency and irresponsibility”.

“We implore the Federal Government to adequately compensate the families of victims and ensure justice is served on the culprits.”

The police authorities had on Wednesday announced the killing of its personnel by troops on Ibi-Wukari road in Taraba. The police had explained that the said army troops, while responding to a distress call to rescue a kidnapped victim, exchanged fire with the suspected kidnappers on Ibi-Wukari Road in the State.

The police, in a counter reaction on Thursday, had raised a number of questions that the army authorities needed to unravel, especially the whereabouts of the arrested suspected kidnapping kingpin, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume.

Also, Nwogu, 30, was on Wednesday alleged to have been short dead by a military officer at a checkpoint at Umuokereke Ngwa Community of Abia state.

A statement issued by Col. Aliyu Yusuf, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, has said that authorities of the 82 division, Nigerian Army has arrested the soldier responsible for the killing.