FCT police arrest corrections officer for shooting fleeing convict

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command said it has arrested an officer of the correctional service identified as Usman Magaji, for shooting one Ibrahim Yahaya, at the Wuse Market in Abuja, on Tuesday, resulting in an outrage in which angry mob burnt shops in the market.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, disclosed this is a statement on Tuesday.

According Online earlier reported that a section of the popular market after an angry mob and agrrieved traders set the market ablaze, after the victim tried to escape, following a conviction by a Mobile Court, sitting at the Wuse Market.

Angry traders set Abuja market on fire

The FCT-Emergency Management authority had also confirmed that 10 shops in the market had been razed b the fire, noting however that the cause of the fire was “yet to be ascertained”.

In her statement, the FCT Police PPRO said preliminary investigations revealed that the victim was apprehended by a task force of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, and taken before a mobile court, which sat every Tuesday.

While the police did not state his offence, Yahaya was convicted and was being conveyed to prison when he attempted an escape and was shot by the Corrections officer.

“The FCT Police Command has arrested the Correctional officer by name CA2 Usman Ishaya Magaji ‘M’, the officer who shot the victim one Ibrahim Yahaya of Gishiri Village Mabushi. The suspect is presently in police custody as Investigation is ongoing.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that one Ibrahim Yahaya ‘27 years’ was apprehended by operatives of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Task Force and was taken before a mobile court which sits every Tuesday in Wuse Market, and he was convicted. Suspect alongside others were being conveyed to the prison, when he reportedly jumped from the vehicle and took to his heels in an attempt to escape. Two armed corrections personnel who were in the vehicle went after him and in the process, shot him. The said Ibrahim Yahaya was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors on ground confirmed him dead.

“The development led some irate mobs who witnessed the situation set ablaze eight vehicles and 10shops in the environ. The whole fire situation erupted uproar from residents but was brought under control by combined effort of Federal fire service and other security agencies present”, the statement read.

According to the statement, the command has restored normalcy to the area, while the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Benneth Igweh, enjoined residents “to peacefully go about their lawful businesses without fear”.