How soldiers beat up policemen, shield drug dealer from arrest

More revelations have come to light about the activities of soldiers attached to Battalion 93, Takum, including how they allegedly shielded a drug dealer who was about to be arrested by the police.

Special Forces from the battalion were said to have also attacked the five policemen who went on an operation to arrest a narcotics dealer in Kwesati village, Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State, last year.

The policemen who stormed the village to arrest one Endurance Mike for allegedly selling tramadol and other banned psychotropic drugs were allegedly beaten up by 10 soldiers attached to the Operation Whirlstroke.

A police report on the incident, obtained from police archives on Monday by Punch correspondents in Abuja, stated that the incident, which occurred on June 30, 2018, almost led to a violent confrontation between policemen and soldiers of Battalion 93.

The report, with reference number CK4161/AC/TK/TRS/VOL.1/2 dated July 7, was written by the Area Commander, Takum Area Command, ACP Ayuba Dickson, to the Commissioner of Police, state headquarters, Jalingo.

It explained that when the policemen got to Mike’s shop where he also sold medicines, they met a soldier who exchanged hot words with them on learning that they wanted to arrest the shop owner.

It said, “While the police team was still inside the shop, the unnamed soldier went out and mobilized more than 10 fellow soldiers who came on motorcycles and beat up the policemen, seized the confiscated drugs and set the suspect free. One of the men also seized and chewed the search warrant and swallowed it..The soldiers also forcefully seized two rifles from the police team and took them to their makeshift office.”

The report identified the injured policemen as the Divisional Crime Officer, Ussa Division, ASP Usman Madugu, Inspector Ishaku Garba, Sergeants Moses Ashoon and Punadanda Ahmadu and Cpl. Manasseh Alfred.

(Credit: Punch)