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Task Force Operative ‘kills man’ during Protest to stop Church Demolition

  • Date of Occurrence
    August 5, 2021
  • State/Country
    Borno, Nigeria
  • Details
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Description

The operative was said to be attached to the Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS) that was on a demolition exercise at the church.

The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday, after some youths confronted the team led by Adam Bukar-Bababe, executive secretary of BOGIS.

The youths were said to have claimed that the agency didn’t issue any notice before bringing down the church structure.

The confrontation led to a protest after the driver of an excavator started destroying the structure of the church, including the properties inside.

The task force operative attached to the demolition team reportedly opened fire on the youths to disperse them, but a bullet hit a man who was identified as Ezekiel Burris.

Five other people also sustained injuries.

The angry youths, TheCable learnt, had confronted the demolition team, and sources said Bukar-Bababe narrowly escaped being lynched as he was whisked away by security personnel.

Another source said the operative who killed Burris escaped the mob, and the other operatives “removed their uniforms and fled the scene for fear of being lynched.”

However, four vehicles belonging to a humanitarian organisation in the area were vandalised.

The Borno police command, the army’s garrison unit, and a team from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) later intervened and brought the situation under control.

Actions Taken

The operative was said to be attached to the Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS) that was on a demolition exercise at the church.

A crowd of young people at the premises had staged a protest after the driver of an excavator started destroying the church, including the properties inside.

The task force operative reportedly opened fire on the youths to disperse them, but a bullet hit a man who was identified as Ezekiel Burris.

Sources said the operative, identified as Baba Bukar, has now been taken into police custody, following a directive by Babagana Zulum, governor of the state, to investigate the incident.

Zulum had asked the police to arrest and prosecute anyone connected to the violence which led to the death of Burris.

Details
  • Date of Occurrence
    2021-08-05
  • State/Country
    Borno
  • Perpetrator
    Task Force Operative
  • Source
    https://www.thecable.ng/borno-task-force-operative-kills-man-during-protest-to-stop-church-demolition
Location
  • Borno, Nigeria

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Region
  • North East
Rights & Freedom Violated
  • Freedom of Association & Assembly
Gender of Victim(s)
  • Male
Mode of Attacks
  • Unlawful Killings, Physical Attacks, Torture, Degrading Treatment

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