A Deputy Commissioner of police in charge of Operations at
the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, DCP Umar, was shot dead in the
cross fire between police officers and protesting members of the Islamic
Movement of Nigeria aka Shi'ites in Abuja earlier today.
The protesting Shi;ites members also fired gun shots at a
Channels Television bus. A reporter with
the channels who was in the bus was hit by a bullet in his stoamch. He is
currently being treated at an undisclosed hospital.
Umar was reportedly shot dead while trying to calm the
fraying nerves of the Shi'ites who had disrupted activities at the Central
Business Disrict in Abuja. He was rushed to a closeby hospital where he died.
A source in the FCT command who confirmed the demise of the
Deputy Commissioner to Punch, said
“The DCP was a very good man. We were at the mosque last
Friday when he saw one man looking so haggard. The man told him how he had not
been paid for over 14 months because he was unable to complete his IPPIS
(Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information.)
“On hearing that the man was an Inspector, DCP Umar hugged
him and immediately made calls to the officers in charge of the platform and
the budget office. Today, the Inspector has been directed to come to the IPPIS
office for enrollment on the platform. His death is so shocking.”