How 43 policemen were killed in 7 states in 2 months

 By our reporters

These are certainly not the best of times for personnel of the Nigerian Police as many of them continued to come under violent attacks in different parts of the country.

These attacks and killings came on the heels of #Endsars protests, which occurred last year 2020. The #Endsars protest was against police extra-judicial killings, brutality, extortion, harassment and intimidation.

The protests witnessed, not just the burning down of police stations nationwide, but also murders of police men.

Just as the personnel were beginning to breathe a sign of the relief that the mayhem and fixated target against them was over, then began this present escalating attacks on the personnel.

Between January and February this year, at least 43 policemen had been killed in seven different states in Nigeria.

However, according to the New Telegraph investigation, the highest number of policemen killed occurred at the south-east Geo-political zone of the country.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Friday, through the Assistant-Inspector General (AIG), Mobile Police Force, Force Headquarters, Abuja, had sent a wireless message, redeploying mobile units to different axis for re-enforcement.

The message was sent to Mopol 3, Enugu, Mopol 18, Owerri, Mopol 29 Awka, Mopol 32 Abakaliki, Mopol 55, Aba and Mopol 64 Ideato.

The message reads in part: “In view of the escalating security situation in the south-east geopolitical zone of the country, the IGP has directed they withdraw with immediate effect.”

The message further instructed that all personnel deployed to commands and locations indicated against their squadrons to stabilize security in their commands.

The message maintained that compliance should not be later than March 1, 2021.

On the same Friday, at about 9:21 pm, at Nsaka Village, along Ikot-Ekpene, Aba Road, Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom, Joint Border (JBPT), led by Chukwu, on routine patrol, were attacked by 12 hoodlums. The hoodlums were said to be armed with AK-47 rifles and on four motorcycles. During the attack, one JBPT policeman, Inspector Daniel Inah, was shot and killed and his rifle taken. The customs operational Hilux, marked NCS111HQ was set on fire.

The reason for the present threat against policemen personnel is yet unknown. But some security stakeholders believed these policemen were just victims of circumstances. They were at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

The New Telegraph looked at the attacks on policemen in some states between January and February. 

In Abia State, four policemen had been killed. According to the command, the policemen were killed, following incessant attacks on police stations by hoodlums.

At least eight policemen had been killed in Delta in this 2021 within just two months. The slain were mostly in the ranks of Inspectors.

In Imo State, no fewer than six policemen had been killed since January 2021 by unknown assailants.  All the policemen were killed on active duty and most had their weapons taken away by their killers.

In Akwa Ibom State, suspected hoodlums had on February 22, 2021 attacked a police checkpoint at Ikpe Annang junction in Essien Udim Local Government Area, killing a police Inspector, while other policemen narrowed escaped death.

Ebonyi State lost 10 policemen between January and February 2021.

Six died in ghastly motor accident when they were returning from Effium, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, where they were deployed to maintain peace and order, following a communal war between two clans in the area. Three were killed in Onueke Police Station when hoodlums invaded the station. At least two AK-47 rifles were carted away by the hoodlums who also set the station and vehicles ablaze.

In Niger State, the number of Police attacked and those killed could not be ascertained as the Commissioner of Police Adamu Usman and his men were busy with the rescue process of kidnapped persons, especially the recent release of the abducted Students and staff of Government Science College Kagara, but independent investigations proved that two policemen had been killed.

One of the Police officers, who confided in our Correspondent, said there had been a few cases of attack and deaths as most Police officers were attacked and killed by bandits.

He added: "More Policemen were attacked and killed last year, but this year, I don't think we have up to 10 or 15 cases.”

When our correspondent met with the CP, he said: "For now, as you can see, we are engrossed and focusing on the just released students and staff of Government Science College Kagara, and so, I cannot give you any detail even though I know we have lost few of our men this year.”

Last week Tuesday, bandits killed a police Inspector and injured three other Policemen on the Minna – Suleja road, precisely at Kaffinkoro junction at about 6.30pm

The injured policemen were taken to the IBB Specialist hospital where they are receiving treatment. Earlier, in January this year, a Policeman, was killed in an attack in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

In Anambra State, eight policemen were said to have been killed under the months in review. So far since January and February, these eight policemen had so far been killed by gunmen while 16 were injured as well as other security operatives.

In Cross River State, four policemen had so far been killed between January and February 2021. The four policemen, two Inspectors and two Sergeants, were killed just last week.