The Nigerian Security Council, on Thursday, directed the defence headquarters to probe the circumstances leading to the killing of three policemen and a civilian by soldiers in Taraba State on Wednesday.
The decision was taken at a meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja and presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, the chief of air staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, said the council resolved to constitute a committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the tragic episode.
“The council also decided that the unfortunate incidents in Taraba State in Ibi, a committee will be setup under the defence headquarters to critically look into the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident,” he said.
He also said the council evaluated the current strategy of managing internal security operations across the country and expressed satisfaction with the current efforts aimed at restoring law and order in the country.
“We are making substantial progress in all the areas of conflicts,’’ he said.
On the issue of using technology and drones to fight crimes as earlier pledged to the southwest leaders by Buhari, the air force chief said technology would continue to play a very critical role in resolving security challenges in the country.
“All the services are using one technology or the other in order to ensure that our country is secured.
“So, security will continue to play a role and we are also looking at other areas of technology that are not currently in use to ensure that we put together all that is required to ensure the security of Nigeria and Nigerians,’’ he added.
Abubakar reassured Nigerians that the armed forces and other security agencies would continue to work to ensure the security of Nigerians and also ensure that no individual or group of individuals undermine the territorial integrity of country.
It would be recalled that the police operatives, led by ASP Felix Adolije of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) reportedly came under sudden attack by soldiers along Ibi–Jalingo Road.
Spokesman for the police Mr. Frank Mba had said in a statement that the policemen, who were taking arrested suspect, one Alhaji Hamisu to the command headquarters in Jalingo, were shot at severally by soldiers in spite of sufficient proof that they were police personnel on legitimate duty.
He said three policemen comprising one inspector and two sergeants and one civilian died from gunshot injuries sustained in the attack while others sustained serious gunshot wounds.
He said the soldier, thereafter, released the handcuffed suspect who had been linked to several cases of kidnapping in Taraba.
Mba said the suspect had been on the run after the sad incident.
It would also be recalled that army and police authorities had, on Wednesday, constituted a joint panel to investigate the incident.
Acting director of army public relations, Col. Sagir Musa, had said in a statement yesterday that the panel would be headed by the deputy inspector general of police in charge of criminal investigation department, Mr. Mike Ogbizi.
With NAN report
