8th September, 2023
Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services, DSS, has said it is investigating a shooting incident involving its operatives and a tailor which led to a riotous situation in the popular Garki, market, Abuja.
The video of the riotous scene of the shooting incident involving the alleged DSS operative, the tailor and some persons in the Garki market went viral late Thursday.
Confirming the incident, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command on Thursday said it quelled a dangerous situation at the Garki market that could have potentially disrupted the peace of the neighbourhood.
The FCT Police Command had in a statement by the Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Haruna Garba late Thursday said the incident involved some people in the market, the DSS operative and a tailor named Muhammad Habibu.
He noted that shots were by the DSS operative at another tailor named Mubarak Mubarak. In reaction, the police said in the statement that a mob at the market damaged a section of the market’s police outpost.
Police said in the statement that weapons used in the commotion have been recovered, and normalcy has now been restored.
Reacting to the incident, the DSS claimed information at its proposal indicated that its FCT Command responded to an SOS from their field operatives who allegedly came under a mob attack in the said market.
But the DSS, in a statement by Peter Afunanya, its national Public Relations Officer, said it has commenced an investigation into the matter and will mete out appropriate punishment if the operative is found wanting.
“The public is assured that details of the inquiries will be communicated as soon as possible.
“The Service assures that it will not hesitate to mete out a proper disciplinary measure(s) to its staff if found culpable or running foul of Standard Operating Procedures on dealing with a member of the public.