In 9ja: Youths Went On Rampage Over Killing Of Civilian In Maiduguri

Youths in Maiduguri,  the capital city of Borno State protest over the alleged killing of a civilian at the West End area of the metropolis by a trigger-happy security operative.Checkpoints in the city are manned by both police and military operatives and it is not yet clear who killed the civilian among them because the person who allegedly fired the shot was said to have been wearing only a helmet and a fragmented jacket on plain cloth.

 A trader, Mohammed Bukar, told Daily Trust that the angry youths chased away both soldiers and policemen at the scene of the incident.

“People were angered because after the shooting, the ‘soldier’ did not show any sign of regret. The youths who came to the area started protesting the killing. The soldier was almost lynched by the youths but for the quick intervention of his colleagues who sneaked him out of the area,” Bukar said.

The angry youths barricaded major roads leading to Baga road, Post Office and Custom area for many hours. They also set bonfires in various locations and attempted setting fire on a police station and military posts around the West End area.
It took the intervention of the Borno State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, following a directive by Governor Kashim Shettima, to control the youths.

A witness at the scene said: 

“Trouble started after a soldier stationed in a nearby military formation targeted and shot a tricycle operator popularly known as Keke NAPEP for allegedly violating traffic rule. The bullet hit a road side trader (Maigoro) on the chest and he died instantly before help could come his way. He was at the opposite site of the military formation,” the witness said.

Another witness said, 

“The police officer at the security checkpoint had ordered a tricycle driver to take another direction because there was traffic congestion in the West-end roundabout but the rider refused to obey and the policeman fired a shot which hit the passenger. When he realized that his passenger had been hit, the rider stopped and that was when the policeman walked up to him and shot him dead.”

HBC: This incident may affect the corporation between the security forces and the youths. I pray it doesn't escalate further.