Nigeria: Police Officer Shot Dead in Kano

Lawan Danjuma Adamu

22 June 2011

Kano — Men suspected to be armed robbers operating on motorcycles Monday killed the police officer in charge of Gunduwawa police outpost in Kano, ASP Umar Hassan Sufi, after he led other policemen to confront them.

The robbers also shot indiscriminately at people in the area, injuring five, it was gathered.

Another gang reportedly struck at Rijiyar Zaki along BUK Road where they raped a housewife after disposing her of valuables. The reports of these incidents have generated a lot of anxiety among residents, especially as police officers were said to be among the targets.

Speaking on the Kano incident, Kano police command spokesman, ASP Musa Magaji Majiya said, “The robbers stormed a shopping mall in Dakata quarters with the intention to rob, they abandoned the mission and fled on motorcycles following the arrival of the police at the scene.” He said the suspects escaped to a village on the outskirts of Kano around Gunduwawa in Gezawa Local Government where they were spotted by villagers who immediately alerted the police.

Majiya added that the police officer was killed when the robbers opened fire at him as he approached them.

He noted that the civilian conveying the officer was also shot, saying he however survived with injuries and was receiving treatment at the hospital.

“The robbers, numbering about three, shot indiscriminately, injuring four others,” he said. According to Majiya, the police have cordoned the area in order to effect the arrest of the fleeing armed robbers.

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