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FROM: JOHN ADAMS MINNA
Hell was let loose in Rafinsayin, a suburb of Suleja town in Suleja Local Government area of Niger State, as the Niger State government tried to enforce its order to “illegal settlers” in the old barracks to relocate.
Most of the settlers are said to be retired soldiers, policemen and other low income earners.
Suleja council had issued them a two -month notice to vacate the area, one of the most populated suburb in Suleja for a reason Saturday Sun could not immediately ascertain.
While some of the squatters heeded the directive, majority ignored it, claiming that they had no other place to go, having settled there for over 20 years.
However, yesterday morning, government officials accompanied by heavily armed mobile policemen numbering well over 70 stormed the area to forcefully eject the people.
As early as 6:30am, a bulldozer was sighted in the area preparatory to pulling down the “illegal structures.
But, the demolition team met stiff resistance from the community members, who mobilized in their hundreds to prevent the government action.
The police had to make a tactical retreat, while shooting into the air sporadically to scare the crowd away.
In the process, a student going to school was allegedly hit by a stray bullet, while three others were allegedly killed.
Two policemen were also said to have been injured, while the bulldozer deployed to demolish the illegal structures was set ablaze by the angry residents.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, denied that anyone was killed, but confirmed that two policemen were injured and that the bulldozer was razed.
