A member of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) task force has been shot dead during a confrontation with an unidentified security operative in Abuja’s Wuse 2 district.
The incident, which occurred around Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, reportedly caused panic and tension in the area as residents and passersby fled the scene.
Eyewitnesses said the deceased was part of a team attempting to impound a moving vehicle when a heated argument broke out between task force officials and occupants of the car.
According to a witness, the situation escalated after the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, with the driver protesting that an object placed under his car was preventing him from moving.
“There were three of them at the traffic light where the car stopped. The officer kept saying, ‘Remove the object you placed under my car. My tyre is stuck,’ but they ignored him,” the witness said.
The source added that tensions heightened when the traffic light turned green and other vehicles moved, while the driver remained immobilised.
“He again told them, ‘Remove the object from my car and let me go,’ but they insisted that he must either provide his papers or pay,” the eyewitness recounted.
In a dramatic turn, the security operative allegedly fired a warning shot into the air.
“The officer fired a warning shot to scare them, but they continued shouting, saying they were not afraid. The security personnel then stepped back and shot one of them directly in the forehead. He fell and died instantly,” the witness said.
The assailant reportedly fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
Another source claimed the vehicle was part of a convoy conveying security personnel and foreign nationals at the time of the incident.
“The man in the car was moving in a convoy with some security personnel and foreign nationals. A foreigner was inside the vehicle when the task force operative stopped it,” the source added.
Residents who gathered at the scene expressed concern over the increasing tension linked to enforcement operations in parts of the capital.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to issue an official statement, and the exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
