The Police, on Monday confirmed the death of Mr Usman Umar, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and younger brother of the immediate past Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Usman A.Belel during the violent protest by members of the Shiitte movement in Abuja.
Belel who hails from Belel in Adamawa was removed two weeks ago after spending six months in the state with Governor Nyesom Wike saying he was removed for refusing to write false security reports.
DCP Frank Mba, the Force Spokesman, in a statement in Abuja, said that two other officers and a Channels’ Television Reporter, Precious Owolabi were injured in the incident. (Owolabi has died from injuries sustained during the protest according to Channels TV)
He said that 54 suspects had been arrested in connection to the protest that involved no fewer than 3, 000 members of the group, protesting the continued detention of their leader, El-Zakzakky.
Mba explained that the protest took place within the Central Business District of Abuja, with the heavily armed protesters defying all “sense of decency and violently attacked innocent citizens and police personnel on duty’’.
According to him: “In the process, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, FCT Command, DCP Usman A.K Umar, was shot and fatally injured by the protesters.
“The officer who was immediately rushed to the hospital died moments later while receiving treatment.
“Two Assistant Superintendents of Police and a Staff of Channels Television sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment,” he said.
According to him, the violent protesters also razed down a National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Response Post with two vehicles close to the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.
He said the 54 suspects arrested in connection with the protest were undergoing interrogation and would be arraigned as soon as possible.
Mba said that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) had commiserated with the family of the late DCP and condemned the incident, warning that “Enough-is-Enough”.
He said that the IGP had warned that the Force and the nation would not continue to suffer losses on account of reckless and lawless persons and groups in the society.
Earlier, the Police had in its Tweeter handle said that normalcy had returned to the FCT after the violent protest by members of the group.
It said the protest by the group had been brought under control and called on the public to remain calm.
It said that the areas earlier affected by the protest were Central Business District and the three Arms Zone.
