According to military sources, the soldiers opened fire on the policeman after Joseph’s vehicle allegedly being used to convey marijuana was impounded.
A policeman identified as Ahmed Ali has been killed by a soldier in Borno after his team reportedly stopped a soldier who was conveying Indian hemp with his vehicle.
The soldier trafficking the marijuana was identified as Sgt. Undei Joseph is said to be attached to the 29 Task Force Brigade. The soldier who fired the shots that killed Ali was identified as PTE Ibrahim Waberi.
SaharaReporters learnt that the incident happened around 10 am on Monday in Benisheikh town.
According to military sources, the soldiers opened fire on the policeman after Joseph’s vehicle allegedly being used to convey marijuana was impounded.
The vehicle with registration number FKJ 761 AR was said to have initially beaten a security checkpoint and refused to stop despite being warned by the police.
His refusal to stop prompted the crack police team to shoot at his tyre, which forced him to stop.
“In an effort to drive the vehicle to Benisheikh police station, the officer in charge was shot dead by the soldier,” a military source said.
The source identified the soldier conveying Marijuana along with his other colleagues, as Sgt U. Joseph.
The source said the soldiers tried to stop the crack squad from confiscating the vehicle and fired shots.
It was learnt that as Sgt Ali was shot dead as he was reversing the vehicle.
Meanwhile, the army has confirmed the incident. It identified the soldier who fired the shots as PTE Ibrahim Waberi.
In a signal obtained by SaharaReporters, it said the suspect is currently in custody for proper investigation.
The military signal read, “AT 170855A APR 23, A SLDR, 02NA/52/3510 SGT UNDEI JOSEPH OF 29 TF BDE ENGR WHILE RTN FROM PASS IN HIS ACURA JEEP WITH REG NO LAGOS FKJ 761 AR WAS STOPPED AT THE KEYSTONE CP AT BENISHIEK. THE SLDR WHO WAS CARRYING MARIJUANA IN HIS VEH REFUSED TO STOP WHICH PROMPTED KEYSTONE TO FIRED AT HIS TYRE WHILE ANOTHER POL MAN CLINGED ON HIS VEH WHILE ON THE MOV.
“THE SUSPECTED VEH EVENTUALLY STOPPED AT THE BHT X POINT BENISHIEKH WHERE OWN TPS WERE ON DUTY. THE KEYSTONE MRAP WHICH WAS PART OF VEH PURSUING THE SUSPECTED VEH EVENTUALLY MET WITH VEH AT THE X POINT.
“THE KEYSTONE TEAM LDR ORDERED ONE OF HIS MEN TO DRIVE THE SUSPECTED VEH BACK TO THE POL STN BENISHIEKH. WHILE THE POL MAN WAS REVERSING THE VEH FOR ONWARD MOV TO BENISHIEKH POL STN, 21NA/80/4823 PTE IBRAHIM WABERI FIRED AT THE SUSPECTED VEH IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE VEH FROM MOV.
“THE SLDR'S SHOTS MISTAKENLY KILLED THE POL MAN DRIVING THE SUSPECTED VEH BACK TO BENISHIEKH POL STN. THE SUSPECTED VEH, DECEASED POL MAN AND THE EXHIBIT WERE TAKEN TO THE POL STN BENISHIEKH WHILE THE ACCUSED SLDR IS IN OWN CUSTODY FOR INVESTIGATION. ALL THAT TRANSPIRED AT SCENE OF THE INCIDENT WERE CAPTURED ON OWN CCTV FOR RECORDS. PICS ATT. *BRAVO*. *GEN SY SIT*. CALM BUT UNPREDICTABLE. PSE ACK///.”