A commercial motorcyclist simply identified as Kaura was allegedly shot dead by security men for attacking the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) demolition team around the Dei-dei livestock market.
It was gathered that some makeshift shops were marked for demolition in the area last week, ahead of the commissioning of a new modern market behind the livestock market facility.
According to Daily Trust, a resident, Mustafa Aliyu, said the officials arrived at the area around 12 pm on Monday and started removing the makeshift shops adjacent to the new market to clear the road that links to the site.
“Some youth working at the nearby slaughter slab known as jungle boys confronted the security men, some of them pelting them with stones while chanting ‘kariya ne’, ‘kariya ne’ meaning it is a lie in Hausa language.
“That was when the security men, made up of soldiers, police, and civil defense, shot teargas while others fired shots into the air,’’ the resident alleged.
Another witness, who craved anonymity, said the commercial motorcyclist was identified as one of the leaders of the violent protesters in the area.
“One of the security men shot him dead,’’ he added.
It was further learnt that the remains of the deceased was taken to an unknown hospital, while the exercise continued unchallenged.
The Taskforce on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah, could not be reached to comment on the incident as at the time of filing this report yesterday, Daily Trust reports.
However, a member of the demolition team who confirmed the shootings during the incident, said they were aimed at dispersing the violent protesters who were attacking the officials carrying out the exercise.
He said he was not aware if any of the protesters died during the incident.
“What I know is that teargas canisters were shot to disperse the protesters and I did not see any dead body,’’ he said.
Discussion about this post