On Tuesday, August 7, 2019, the Nigerian Police Force alleged that some personnel of the Nigerian Army from the 93 Battalion, killed three officers of the Police of the Intelligence Response Team from the Force Headquarters led by ASP Felix Adolije, and released a kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, also known as Wadume, who was in custody of the police in the process. The incident happened along Ibi-Jalingo Road in Taraba State.
Report revealed that apart from those killed, some other police officers and civilians were also injured in the crossfire. An Inspector, two Sergeants and a civilian died from gunshot injuries. This incident led to the accusation against the military by the police that the military personnel deliberately opened fire in spite enough evidence that the mission of the police were genuine.
But the Army in its response said that the police were mistaken for kidnappers. The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, in a statement said the army responded to a distress call to rescue a kidnapped victim. “The said Nigerian Army troops, while responding to a distressed call to rescue a kidnapped victim, exchanged fire with the suspected kidnappers along Ibi-Wukari Road in Taraba state.”
He said the refusal of police to stop for identification when they were halted by troops at three consecutive checkpoints necessitated the shooting. He also alleged that the police were the first to open fire which prompted the soldiers to return fire.
As a result of the unfortunate incident which also resulted in exchange of accusations between the police and the army, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the Defence Headquarters to investigate the matter. The Defence Headquarters in its report concluded that both the Army and the Police were implicated in the shootout owing to the lack of communication.
The report submitted that an Army Captain, Tijani Balarabe of the 92 Battalion, the Divisional Crime Office of Ibi in Taraba state and four other police officers, should be investigated to know their involvement in the matter before prosecution.
Currently, the Attorney General of the Federation has taken charge of the case. On June 8, Wadume and six others were finally arraigned in court on thirteen count charges bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, continual to detain and collection of a ransom of N106 million.
Inter-agency rivalry is not uncommon among security agencies worldwide, yet safety of lives and properties is expected to supersede any bloated ego.It is rather unfortunate that lives would be lost to negligence and abandonment of conventional procedure of security operations. Had the Intelligence Response Team from the Force Headquarters communicated with the Army about the operation, the story would not have been what it is today.
This is not the first instance where breakdown of communication and synergy between security agencies would claim casualties. Security agencies in the country should work in synergy to protect lives and properties of Nigerians.
It is also important that while the panel ordered by President Buhari implicated Captain Balarabe, the Army Headquarters should provide the said officer for prosecution along with others.
We advised that there should be strong inter-agency coordination of operations amongst all security outfits in the country to avoid unnecessary loss of innocent lives.
