The Nigeria Police Force has released the names of the operatives killed on a mission to Taraba by some soldiers, even as the police disagreed with the explanations of the Nigeria Army for killing the operatives.

The victimes are Insp. Mark Edaile, from Edo State,  Sgt. Usman Danzumi, from Taraba State and  Sgt. Dahiru Musa, from Taraba State.

Force PRO, Frank Mba said “the gallant, outstanding IRT team attacked by Soldiers in Taraba State consists of some of the most disciplined, proficient and hardworking Police investigators in the service of the Nation.

“ Until their untimely death in the hands of soldiers of 93 Battalion Takum, Taraba State, these officers have participated in several high profile and high risk arrests, rescue missions and investigative operations. Some of these operations include: the arrest of Nigeria’s most notorious kidnap kingpin, Evans; the arrest of 22 Boko Haram terrorists responsible for the 2014 kidnapping of the Chibok School Girls in Borno State.

“The arrest of Umar Abdulmalik, the overall Boko Haram Commander of North Central Nigeria and several of his group members; the arrest of the kidnappers of two American and two Canadian citizens in Kaduna State and most recently, the rescue of Magajin Garin Daura in Kano State and arrest of the thirteen 13 terrorists responsible for the kidnapping of the Magajin Garin Daura in his home town Daura, Katsina State on 1st May 2019, among many other outstanding feats.”

Meanwhile, while reacting to the statement of the army on the incidents, Force PRO said “the most important question arising from the Nigerian Army press release is: Where is Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume? Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume is a millionaire kidnapper arrested by the Police but paradoxically treated as a ‘‘kidnap victim’’ by the Soldiers and subsequently ‘rescued’ by them. Where is he? Where is the rescued kidnapper?

“Secondly, the Press Release was silent on the source of the alleged distress report or identity of the complainant, on the strength of whose report, the Army claimed had informed their decision to engage in the purported chase and rescue operation. Needless to state that in the true spirit of transparency and accountability, the Nigerian Army ought to have arrested the purported distress caller – if any – for obviously and deliberately furnishing them with false and misleading information. Besides, such arrest should in fact be made public!

“ Thirdly, it is not true that the Policemen failed to identify themselves as alleged in the Press Release. The video on the incident, now viral, wherein the voice of one of the soldiers was heard loudly proclaiming that the Policemen were from the Force Headquarters, Abuja speaks volume. Besides, the presence of the IRT personnel was well known to the Taraba Police Command as the Operatives officially and properly documented not only at the State Command Headquarters but also at the Wukari Area Command and the Ibi Divisional Headquarters. As a matter of fact, some of the Detectives from the Taraba State Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were part of the operation.”

The Force also considered it insensitive, disrespectful and unpatriotic for the press release by the army to continue to describe policemen on lawful national assignment as ‘suspected kidnappers’ long after it had become crystal clear to the army that these are law enforcement officers who unfortunately were gruesomely murdered in the line of duty by Nigerian soldiers attached to 93 Battalion, Takum.”