Police denies killing boy at Abuja protest ground, begins investigation into remote cause of death

The FCT police command has denied reports claiming its officer killed a yet-to-be identified teenager in Kubwa while he was  protesting on August 3rd, 2024. 

A video making the rounds on social media shows a little boy recounting how the deceased was killed. According to the boy, the deceased was not part of the protest and was simply passing by when he was gunned down. The boy alleged that some police officers had earlier pointed a gun at him and others around before the teenager was fatally shot. 

Reacting to the viral video, the spokesperson of the command, SP Josephine Adeh, debunked the allegations stating that its operatives are not responsible for the killing of the teenager. According to Adeh, the operatives deployed to the axis were not issued lethal arms but with anti-riot equipment not capable of occasioning the death of the teenager.

‘’In light of the rather infuriated incident, the commissioner of police, FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh, psc, mni, has ordered that an immediate investigation be conducted to ascertain the remote cause of death of the deceased, calling on well-meaning residents to provide the command with necessary information to aid the investigation.

While expressing profound condolences to the family of the bereaved, he assures the family and public of swift justice, as effort is ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators of the unfortunate incident.” the statement reads in part

Adeh added that the command is aware of the antics of mischief makers who may want to exploit the current situation in the country to spread false information and cause apprehension in the populace.