Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Usman, on Thursday night confirmed that his officers have recovered some looted items from criminals who operated in the disguise of the end bad governance protest.
Our correspondent reports that the protest turned violent when protesters were prevented from gaining entry into the Gombe Government House after converging at the roundabout along cross.
Items including bags of fertiliser, office equipment were tampered with at Gombe Bureau of Public Reforms located close to Bima Lodge. Also, shops around Sabonline were forcefully opened.
Confirming this Usman added, “They opened a shop and immediately we dispatched a team from safer highway led by one officer and on sighting the policemen they disappeared even though they have broken into the shop but i think they did not carry everything because of the prompt response, arrival of the police team.”
Narrating further what led to the breakdown of law and order Usman added, “I was with the protesters when they were coming all the way from Barunde because they appeared peaceful and calm carrying placards and they were not holding even a stick because i didn’t see anybody with it and all of a sudden their number increased initially they were in their hundreds and they became thousands.”
“We were moving without any problem until when we arrived at Government House where they insisted that they want to force themselves inside we prevented them but became unruly started throwing stones at us that’s why we used teargas that time to disperse them. we were doing that some of them from other side possibly from central roundabout they were coming towards the Government House roundabout and close to Bima Lodge when we were trying to contain those at the Government House the ones from no where let me say thieves entered Bureau of Public Reforms and carried some items but we thank God we we were able to recover some of the property stolen and other members of the public are helping us with information on recovering other items back even at Bolari they were prevented from entering the place with the property they stole so they collected them and handed it over to DPO Gombe,” he added.
On alleged killing of protesters Usman denied it saying “I’ve not received any case of killing anybody and i am telling you authoritatively because there are five Divisional Police Officers in the network and nobody reported that to me all i know was that about five of our police men were injured they were at Government House gate when they started throwing stones at us that’s why we decided to use smoke to disperse them. Is a lie you can go and verify your nobody was killed and no live ammunition was shut we were using smoke throughout though it wasn’t easy but by the Grace of God we were able to control it and people are going about doing their businesses and we have restored order. You can verify it your self.”
Commenting on the possibility of declaring curfew Usman said there was no need for it, adding that “I am not the one to declare curfew but the state government and i don’t think there’s any need for that and we are looking forward for the good people of Gombe state to help us because this people are not wishing the state well they are criminals in the name of hiding behind protest they breaking people’s shop and stealing.”
Laraba Johnson
