The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has called for a peaceful resolution of differences between the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police in the state, following an alleged attack by soldiers on the state police command’s headquarters on Wednesday.
In a statement, Governor Fintiri emphasized the shared responsibility of both agencies in protecting lives and property.
He stated, “Both the police and the army are discharging the same duty of protecting lives and property. I want to urge them to resolve their differences and ensure peace reigns.”
However, a police inspector, who narrowly escaped death during the attack, expressed discontent with the military's actions, stating, "We are all doing the same job of protecting Nigerians and protecting the territorial and sovereignty of Nigeria, so, no sister agency should think the other is inferior."
The inspector revealed, "They acted on false information that their colleague was killed by a police officer and without investigating, they moved over 12 armored tanks on an attack on our headquarters. This is unacceptable."
A senior military officer attributed the incident to the alleged unprofessional conduct of the police personnel involved, promising to address the issue in a forthcoming press conference.
The Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Afolabi Babatola, condemned the attack by the army on the police headquarters, urging his men to be cautious and guard against any attack on fellow security personnel. He ordered an immediate investigation into the matter and warned that attacks on security officers on duty would not be tolerated.
The Brigade Commander, 23 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Gambo Mohammed, asserted that one of his men was shot and hidden by the police, leading his men to rescue their comrade. The conflicting narratives highlight the need for a thorough investigation into the incident to ensure justice and maintain peace between the two security agencies.