Police shoot 12-year-old boy, grandmother over palliatives in Niger

Tamarauemi Ebimini

A police officer attached to Rijau Divisional Office and deployed to Sale Mai Agogo Palliative distribution centre in Rijau Local Council of Niger State, has shot a 12-year-old boy, Sani Danlami, and his grandmother, Nna, over palliatives in the community.

The incident, which occurred last Sunday, followed a skirmish that engulfed the distribution unit in Rijau town.

The Guardian learnt that the police officer deployed to man the unit shot into the air to disperse the crowd, unfortunately, a stray bullet hit Danlami, and his grandmother on their right hands, while heading to the centre.

They were in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp at Inana village.

Fielding questions from newsmen, chairman, palliatives distribution committee in charge of Rijau Local Council, Dr. Tukur Bello, said the incident was accidental.

Bello, who is also the state’s Commissioner in the Ministry of Primary and Tertiary Health care, said the victims were rushed to a nearby clinic for an emergency medical attention before the boy, who sustained serious injuries, was later referred to the Ibrahim Badamosi Babaginda (IBB) Specialist Hospital in Minna for further medical care.

He explained that the skirmish was caused by miscreants who invaded the unit and carted away some of the items, which led to the shooting.

Bello confirmed that the DPO in charge of Rijau Divisional office has taken the defaulting officer into custody for investigation.