The special task force (STF), Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in
Plateau, says the killing of Rinji Bala, a 300-level student of the University
of Jos (UNIJOS), by one of its soldiers was a mistake.
Ibrahim Shittu, media officer of OPSH, who spoke with NAN on
Wednesday, said the 20-year-old undergraduate student was shot by a sentry of
the OPSH who mistook him for an escaping suspect on Tuesday.
According to Shittu, personnel of the task force responded
to a distress call on activities of cultists and armed robbers around the area,
leading to the arrest of seven suspects.
The OPSH spokesman explained that Bala was among those
arrested and taken to the OPSH office along Zaria Road, Jos.
He added that they were, however, released after checks
showed they were not connected to the robbery activities.
But on their way out of the OPSH’s premises, the soldier,
who mistook them for escaping suspects had opened fire on them, killing Bala in
the process.
“Yesterday, at about 10 p.m., we received information of the
activities of suspected armed robbers and cultists operating around No. 18th
Street axis, opposite Hwolshe community,” he said.
“The report revealed that the criminals took advantage of
the lockdown and curfew to perpetrate crimes. Consequently, our Sector 1 patrol
troops of OPSH swiftly responded and arrested 7 suspects, which were
immediately moved to the Headquarters of the Sector 1 for preliminary
investigation.
“Thereafter, five out of the seven suspects were cleared and
asked to leave the premises. Unfortunately as they were leaving, one of the
personnel on sentry duty mistook them for escaping suspects. Thus opened fire
on them, which led to the death of Rinji Bala.”
The media officer said a thorough investigation had
commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, adding that
the personnel involved has been arrested and detained.
He explained that a delegation from OPSH have visited the
family of the deceased and commiserated with them while promising to ensure the
deceased get justice.
Also speaking with NAN, Emmanuel Dung, an eye witness,
explained that Rinji and five others were arrested at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday
by the OPSH team.
Dung, who was among those arrested alongside the deceased,
said they were taken to the sector one of OPSH, along Zaria Road, Jos.
“The soldiers didn’t say what our offense was and took us to
their office at Zaria Road. They tortured us for over an hour and later
released us at about 10 p.m,” he said.
“At the gate, some soldiers asked us to run. When we took
off, they opened fire on us and Bobo (Rinji) fell down few meters away from the
gate.
“I stopped to help him but a soldier came close with his gun
pointed at me but turned back, and one of the soldier shouted “ceasefire.”
Peter Bala, father of the deceased, told NAN that he got to
the office of the soldiers shortly after the incident, adding that the sector
commander told him that the kids were found innocent after investigation and
were released.
“When I got wind that my son along others were arrested, I
quickly rushed to the military base at Zaria road. The Sector Commander told me
the boys were found innocent and have been released,” he said.
“But I saw a corpse at the entrance of the military base but
didn’t know it was my son; and they never told me until I met his fellow
detainee while driving home,” he said.
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