The early-morning gunfire that broke out between troops and policemen in the state has resulted in a number of casualties, according to the Taraba State Police Command.
Usman Abdullahi, the police public relations officer, told reporters today at the State Police Command Headquarters in Jalingo, the state capital, that two officers were killed during the gunshot exchange.
Abdullahi mentioned that two men in the command had also suffered gunshot wounds of varying degrees and were being treated at the state specialty hospital and the Jalingo police clinic.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was forced to temporarily halt the ongoing collation of election results in the state as a result of the prolonged gunfire that paralysed commercial operations in Jalingo city for more than an hour.
The PPRO, who claimed to have narrowly avoided being shot, expressed grief at the horrific occurrence, saying that “a very nasty and tragic incident took place between the troops and police this morning.”
He emphasised that the gunfire, which he said started at “around 8:45 am,” lasted for more than an hour and that the troops had barged into the state’s police command centre.
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“On my way to the office, I came across a struggle between the military soldiers that set checkpoints on the entrance of the INEC building as it used to be while election results are being tallied,” he claimed.
He stated: “The issue started when a female police officer who was reporting for duty at the INEC state headquarters in Jalingo was stopped by a military personnel at a checkpoint nearby and questioned for her valid identity.
“The soldiers there started firing when I was personally speaking to one of the top soldiers there and we were attempting to calm the situation. We were forced to flee for our lives after becoming trapped in the gunfire. After shooting two police officers at the command centre in this location, the troops left with their firearms.
“One police officer who was leaving work was shot and killed instantaneously, and another who was just reporting for duty and had no idea what was going on was also slain as soon as they recognised him as a cop.
“As we speak, we have received information that our guys, who are escorting election results in various capacities, have been stopped at military checkpoints and mistreated. Even though they were unaware of what had occurred, they stripped them nude and harassed them.
For the time being, a commission of investigation will be established to look into the true reason of this occurrence, according to a meeting between the commander of 6 Brigade Jalingo and Police Commissioner Yusuf A. Suleiman.
In addition to the casualties listed by the police, Obasanjonews24 discovered that one of the troops also suffered bullet wounds and is currently receiving care.
