Soldiers Arrested For Killing Murder NDLEA Officer
Four dismissed soldiers have been arrested for the alleged murder of a personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Niger.
The Police Public Relation Officer, (PPRO), Niger Command, SP Waisu Abiodun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the incident happened on March 9 around Ramat junction in Bida Local Government Area.
He said,”On March 9, at about 6:20 p.m, a team of NDLEA officers were on stop and search at Ramat Junction, Bida when two suspected soldiers not in uniform, on a motorcycle were intercepted.
”The team requested for their identifications, which the suspected soldiers did not provide a proper means of identification and nothing incriminating was found on them.
”In the course of the search, there was an altercation, after which the suspects left the scene, returned with additional men reinforced to the scene and allegedly attacked NDLEA officers.”
He said during the altercation, an NDLEA officer named Kingsley Chimetalo was fatally stabbed in the back with a jackknife, and his firearm was seized. Despite efforts to save him, Chimetalo succumbed to his injuries at the Federal Medical Centre in Bida.
Prompt investigations, conducted in collaboration with the 18 Brigade, Nigeria Army Bida, resulted in the identification of six individuals, leading to their court-martial and subsequent dismissal from the military. Two suspects managed to evade capture.
He mentioned the names of the suspects to include: Sani Munzani and Abubakar Auwalu from Kano state, Abubakar Sani from Kebbi and Muazu Hassan from Edo.
He said the suspects were handed over to the police on Monday, for prosecution, adding that one of them confessed to the stabbing of the deceased NDLEA officer.
Abiodun said the suspects were under investigation in SCID Minna and would be charged to court for prosecution as soon as the investigation was concluded
