5th June, 2012
Students of Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe, have protested the killing of their colleague by security agents.
A witness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the dead student, Mohammed Kabir, was hit by a stray bullet fired by a member of Anti-Kalare Squad, a unit established to check hoodlums and political thugs in Gombe.
The witness said the security operatives, comprising soldiers and mobile policemen, had driven into the school premises in pursuit of a suspect in a pair of military camouflage trousers.
The witness said the securitymen arrested the suspect but their attempt to take him out of the school was resisted by the students.
In an attempt to disperse the students, the securitymen fired shots into the air and a stray bullet hit Kabir,, who came to calm his colleagues.
The witness said the securitymen succeeded in taking away the suspect.
Subsequently, the students protested to the Government House and demanded to see the state governor, who was out of town.
However, the Deputy Governor, Mr Tha’anda Rubainu, received them and appealed for calm and promised that the circumstances leading to the death of the student would be investigated.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Gombe State, DSP Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed the incident, saying that the student was hit by a stray bullet.
Atajiri said the securitymen had gone to the school in pursuit of someone in military camouflage but the students tried to prevent his arrest.
He said that in an attempt to disperse the students, a stray bullet hit one Mohammed Kabir, a 200 level degree student of Biology and Integrated Science.
He, however, said investigations had commenced into the incident.