- Commissioner Benneth Igweh expresses sorrow over the killing of two police officers during a clash with the proscribed Shiite group
- The violence, which left two policewomen critically injured, involved attacks on officers and the burning of police vehicles in Abuja
Benneth Igweh, the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has expressed deep sorrow over the killing of two police officers during a procession by members of the criminal Islamic Movement in Nigeria, commonly known as the Shiites.
Igweh condemned the group’s actions as “provocative,” highlighting that the attack on security operatives also left two policewomen critically injured. The violence took place in Abuja on Sunday, during a clash between the police and the Shiites at the popular Wuse Market, where a trader was reportedly shot dead, and at least three police vehicles were set on fire.
Igweh vowed that the perpetrators would be held accountable at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. “You can see now that these people [Shiites] have killed my men. They even went ahead to injure two policewomen. They’ve even declared war on security operatives,” he said.
He also noted that a conversation with the group’s lawyer confirmed that the Shiites had declared a “total war” on the police. Igweh firmly stated, “I want to assure you that we won’t take that lightly; this is the last protest or procession they will carry out in the FCT,” making it clear that such incidents would no longer be tolerated under his watch.