Police Officer Catched Shooting Protester in Bauchi
On Monday, a police officer was captured on video shooting a protester in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State.Â
The video, reviewed by First Class Gists, shows the protester restrained and assaulted by several individuals before the officer, positioned next to a white Toyota Hilux, approached and fired directly at him. The officer then walked away, indifferent to the crowd’s reaction.
Daily Trust’s fact-checking team verified the authenticity of the footage, confirming it was not altered. The incident occurred outside the Katagum Local Government secretariat, where clashes erupted between police and protesters displaying a Russian flag.
An unnamed Azare resident claimed the victim was among those detained by the police, though this information could not be independently verified at the time of reporting.
As of the latest update, SP Ahmed Wakil, the Bauchi Police Command spokesperson, had not responded to inquiries about the shooting. Efforts to contact Bauchi State Government spokesperson Mukhtar Gidado for comment also proved unsuccessful.
The #EndBadGovernance protests, which began on Thursday, have seen numerous allegations of extrajudicial killings by the police, all of which have been denied by the force. Amnesty International condemned the use of lethal force against protesters, asserting that security personnel employed deadly tactics against demonstrators protesting hunger and poverty.
Muyiwa Adejobi, Force spokesperson, acknowledged some fatalities but denied police involvement in those incidents. Amnesty International has called on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to establish a Judicial Commission of Inquiry following reports of at least ten protesters killed in Kano.
Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, condemned the police for what he described as the “massacre” of protesters, criticizing the force’s response and urging a shift in focus to combat banditry.
In a statement, Ajaero questioned the police’s professionalism and accused them of excessive brutality. Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka also criticized the use of live ammunition against protesters, highlighting the universal nature of hunger marches as a h
umanitarian issue.
