Calm Restored in Kuje After Deadly Police Shooting Sparks Chaos
A tense calm has returned to Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, following violent unrest triggered by an accidental police shooting that claimed a life on Friday.
Journalists who visited the area on Saturday observed that residents had resumed their normal activities, though Friday’s incident left many in shock. According to eyewitnesses, the chaos erupted around 7 p.m. when an argument between two men outside a supermarket near the Tipper Garage escalated, drawing a crowd.
Bulus Ayuba, who witnessed the event, recounted that a police officer stationed at the supermarket tried to intervene but struggled to control the situation. As tensions rose, the officer fired a warning shot into the air, but someone in the crowd allegedly made contact with his firearm, causing a misfire that struck a man in the head.
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The victim was immediately rushed away, but angered youths took to the streets in protest, setting a parked vehicle near the supermarket on fire. Philip Adeyeye, another eyewitness, described the scene as chaotic until security reinforcements, including military personnel and additional police units, arrived to restore order.
Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Olatunji Disu, stated that the officer involved had been taken into custody and that a full investigation was underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.
