By Pius Awunah
There is heightened tension in the Kuchibuyi Community in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT),following the reported killing of Attahiru Abubakar,by police officers during a land dispute last Saturday.
The deceased was the son of the community’s Chief Imam, Abubakar Yaqub.
The tragic incident has sparked outrage among residents, with eyewitnesses and family members accusing the police of using excessive force and attempting to cover up the killing.
Attahiru died on the spot from a gunshot wound to the chest, while his elder brother, Abass, sustained serious injuries.
Their father, the Chief Imam himself, was also allegedly shot during the chaos.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer for the FCT Command, Josephine Adeh, said officers were responding to a distress call over a communal clash tied to a land dispute in the area.
“The FCT Police Command received a distress call regarding a civil unrest incident stemming from a land dispute at Kuchibuyi community under Byazin Division,” Adeh said.
She added that Divisional Police Officers from both Byazin and Kubwa divisions had mobilised quickly to the scene and brought the situation under control.
She added that several arrests were made while investigations were ongoing.
Adeh, however, maintained that the police were not the cause of the conflict.
“It is important to clarify that the issue is a communal dispute and not in any way related to the police,” she said.
Quoting the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, she stated:
“The Commissioner of Police strongly condemns the actions of youth attacking police officers who were on a mission to restore law and order. Such behaviour will not be condoned, and firm action will be taken against anyone who attacks the police or other security personnel responding to distress calls. “
But, residents have rejected the police version of events.
Speaking, Sanusi Abubakar, the elder brother of the deceased, said the police opened fire on unarmed residents after an estate manager brought in armed personnel to seize the community’s land.
“There was one estate manager who wanted to take over a large portion of the community land without our knowledge. He arrived with some soldiers and vigilantes. Later, he called in the police,” Sanusi said.
According to him, “after some boys blocked the road during the standoff which was seemingly resolved, police officers and the task force returned and started shooting at the residents. My brother, Attahiru, was shot dead on the spot. My second brother, Abass, was also hit and is in the hospital. Our father, the Chief Imam, was also shot.”
Another witness who spoke on the condition of anonymity supported Sanusi’s claims, stating that the police statement failed to mention the shootings or the death of Attahiru.
“The police lied in their statement. They didn’t mention that three people were shot, two sons of the Chief Imam and the Imam himself. Attahiru died instantly from a gunshot to the chest while his brother is in the hospital in Bwari at the moment.
“After that, the police arrested about six young men they sighted. What happened yesterday was frightening, and they’re trying to cover it up. That same estate manager brought soldiers to the community just two days earlier, “he stated.
