Violent protest rocks Maiduguri as police shoot Keke-Napep rider, passenger

Maiduguri, the Borno state capital is in confusion as members of the Keke-Napep (commercial Tricycle) riders took to the streets in violent protest following what they described as “deliberate killing” of their member and a passenger.

The West End area where the incident took place was filled with smokes from burnt tires as youth groups barricaded most of the roads in the area.

The incident happened at about 11am.

Soldiers continued to shoot in the air to disperse the protesters who have mobilized themselves and heading towards Dandal police station with the aim of attacking it.

Muhammadu Maduba, a witness told PREMIUM TIMES reporter who was heading towards the direction of the incident that the police officer shot the driver after his first shot missed him and killed the passenger sitting at the back of his vehicle.

“There was a road blockage around the West End area and the tricycle rider refused to heed to the order of the police man to turn back and take the other route, so the police man fired his gun while the tricycle rider and his passenger were trying to move on.

“But the bullet missed the driver and hit the passenger. Upon realizing that his passenger had been hit, the tricycle rider stopped and the policeman walked up to him and fire at him; the driver too slumped and died at once”.

Upon seeing what happened to their colleagues, other members of the Keke Napep riders Union decided to protest the killing by taking to the streets and burning tires.

Some of them headed towards the Dandal Divisional Headquarters of the Police force, making soldiers who were deployed to the area to begin shooting into the air.

PREMIUM TIMES reporter who was driving towards the area alongside other journalist colleagues, had to join other commuters in scampering to safety.

At the moment, none of the officials of the parties to the conflict could be contacted for comment.

Details later…