A soldier and four other persons yesterday lost their lives during a clash with a police constabulary in Agyaragu, Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
An eye witness, Joseph Jonathan, said the deceased soldier was trying to separate two persons fighting when the policeman allegedly stabbed him to death. According to the eyewitness, when relatives of the late soldier came and saw his lifeless body, they trooped to a nearby police station and set it ablaze.
He, however, claimed that shortly after the police station was burnt down, the police anti kidnapping unit arrived at the scene of the incident, and shot 4 persons to death. Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), DSP Ranham Nansel, said the command received the information at about 1pm, yesterday.
He said he was told that a soldier serving in Borno State came home where he had a fight with a special constabulary at Agyaragu market.
The soldier was said to have stabbed the police special constabulary with a knife and he, in turn, collected the knife and stabbed him back.
“They were consequently repelled by the policemen on duty. As it is, two people have been confirmed dead and two others are currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
They were both rushed to the hospital, but the soldier died while receiving treatment. “Consequently, the relatives of the soldier mobilised themselves and came to the police station to attack the police station, but the police officers repelled the attack,” he said.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Umar ShehuNadada, has visited the scene to unravel the circumstances that led to the untimely deaths.
He added that normalcy had since been restored and investigation into the incident was ongoing while a manhunt had been launched for those who attacked the police station.
