TIMELINE: 10 Bizarre Occasions Nigerian Security Operatives gunned down fellow officers

A policeman simply identified as Sergeant Bello, on Friday, killed six colleagues at the police headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State, adding to the troubling number of security agents who have engaged in such a murderous act and raising questions over the operatives’ mental health.

Aside from the latest incident, Daily Trust takes a look at 10 weird occasions where policemen and soldiers had gunned down their colleagues and how to tackle the underlying factors responsible for the act.

• Sergeant guns down six colleagues at Police Headquarters in Maiduguri
• Anxiety as Policeman guns down soldier at Borno palace

Inspector killed colleague in Kano

In September 2021, a police inspector, Ya’u Yakubu, reportedly shot a co-cop Sergeant Basharu Alhassan at Warawa Divisional Police Headquarters in Kano over a misunderstanding.

The police spokesman in the state, Abdullahi Kiyawa, while confirming the incident, said the Commissioner of Police, Sama’ila Dikko, directed that the suspect should undergo tests to ascertain his mental health status.

“During our preliminary investigation, the Inspector said he didn’t even know how he shot his colleague but he could remember that the deceased was laughing at him. So he was out of his senses and committed this act,” Kiyawa said.

Cop killed in Bayelsa

Two months after the Kano incident, a police sergeant, Governor Akpos, in November 2021 allegedly stabbed his sergeant cousin, Yerins Sapele, to death over a minor disagreement in the Edepie area of Bayelsa State.

The duo were said to have attended a wedding at a hotel along INEC Road in Yenagoa, where they cracked a joke.

It was gathered that the banter didn’t go down well with Akpos who was described as being short-tempered. Akpos reportedly trailed Yerins to a secluded place and stabbed him to death.

Inspector gunned down team mate

In May 2020, one Inspector Monday Gabriel went berserk in the Ikoyi area of Lagos and opened fire on his colleagues. He killed one Sergeant Felix Okago, while others sustained bullet wounds.

Gabriel, who was attached to Squadron 21 of the Police Mobile Force, Abuja, was on special duty at the Federal Inland Revenue Service in Ikoyi with others.

He reportedly had fallout with his colleagues over an issue and suddenly shot at them. He thereafter hijacked the team’s escort van and zoomed off.

Confirming the incident, the then Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Bala Elkana said, “He was intercepted along Akoka, disarmed and handcuffed. The rifle and vehicle were recovered. The corpse of the deceased Sergeant is deposited in the mortuary for autopsy while the Inspector is taken to Police Hospital for medical examination as he presented signs of mental depression.”

Sergeant stabbed Inspector to death in Lagos

A month after, in June 2020, a drunken police sergeant in Lagos pounced on his senior, one Inspector Francis Adekunle, with a machete, inflicting several cuts on him. Adekunle consequently died in a hospital.

The sergeant reportedly went haywire after drinking alcohol at a nearby joint and returned to his compound in the Oke-Odo area of the state.

It was learnt that he picked a quarrel with one of his neighbours, and was chasing the person around with a cutlass when Adekunle, said to be attached to the Special Protection Unit (SPU) 2 Ikeja, intervened.

Officer dispersing crowd killed friend

In November 2019, a mobile policeman shot dead his colleague attached to the Igando Police Division, Lagos, during a free-for-all along Lasu-Igando Road.

The suspect had reportedly shot into the air to disperse a crowd but killed his colleague and injured a ride-hailing motorcyclist in the process.

“One of those people pushed the mobile policeman and he cocked his rifle. Unfortunately, he killed his colleague and injured a motorcyclist. We have commenced investigation into the matter,” Elkana had said.

Policeman killed superior, self in Ondo

A policeman, Abraham Arowogun, attached to the Kajola Divisional Police Station, Ondo State, in August 2017, committed suicide by jumping into a well in the police station after shooting the Divisional Crime Officer, one Inspector Timothy Aruehi, to death over a disagreement.

“The command is very saddened by the incident and our heart are very heavy, we are doing everything possible to further dig into the matter and also to talk to our officers and men on the need to avert similar occurrence,” the state’s PPRO at the time, Mr. Femi Joseph, had said.

Army corporal killed four colleagues, self

In February 2020 the Nigerian Army confirmed that a corporal serving at the Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Army Super Camp 15, lost his cool and fatally shot four of his colleagues before shooting himself.

“Two of his colleagues were also injured during the incident and are currently in stable condition in our hospital in Maiduguri. Efforts are ongoing to contact the families of our gallant colleagues who paid the supreme price in the line of duty.

“Meanwhile, investigation into the case has since been instituted to determine the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident,” the then acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, stated.

Soldier shot teammate, self dead

In September 2018, two staff sergeants of the Nigerian Army, identified as Adegor Okpako and Saka, were killed and four others injured during in-theatre training at the 192 Battalion in the Gwoza area of Borno State.

While some people claimed that Okpako deliberately killed Saka and injured four others before committing suicide, the Nigerian Army said it was a case of accidental discharge.

Another soldier killed colleague, self

A few days after the Borno incident, another soldier, Markus Yusuf, reportedly opened fire at a military facility in Abuja, killing one colleague and injuring another before shooting himself dead.

Yusuf, said to be inebriated, was in the company of his colleagues on an open space when he allegedly started shooting, forcing most of them to flee.

Military man murdered fellow in Borno

In December 2020, a soldier allegedly shot dead his colleague at a popular spot along Baga Road in Maiduguri, Borno State, where drugs were sold.

A Point of Sale operator near the scene, Iliya Mshelia, had told Daily Trust that the incident shocked many people.

“The soldier was firing bullets into the air when the deceased approached him and asked him to stop firing. The soldier then turned the gun on his colleague and shot him,” an eyewitness had disclosed.

Mental health concerns

These killings and more have raised concerns over the mental health of security agents. In a post-traumatic seminar organised in November 2021 by the Army Headquarters Department of Transformation and Innovation, the Nigerian Army expressed concerns over PTSD among its personnel.

The Army’s Chief of Transformation and Innovation, Maj. Gen. Charles Ofoche, said there was a need for awareness of the ailment, which he admitted was on the rise.

He said, “The Nigerian Army intends to draw awareness of commanders to the stress syndrome to achieve reduced operational risks, increased efficiency, and improved operational effectiveness.”

A senior psychiatric nurse at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Mrs Ife Adegoke, said there was a need for any gun-bearing security agents to undergo mental assessment.

She said the operatives should be taken through psychiatric and psychological evaluations to ascertain their level of emotional stability.

A consultant psychiatrist, Prof. Adeoye Oyewole, urged the police authorities to train their men in emotional intelligence and improve on their welfare, including provision of life insurance, reduced work hours and stress management.

“They need psychological surveillance from time to time. They also need to be trained in communication skills, emotional intelligence and how to be calm under provocation,” he added.