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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Some residents, mostly youths of Barnawa area, Kaduna metropolis took to the streets yesterday evening following the killing of a passerby who was reportedly shot by a personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),who was in pursuit of a suspected drug dealer in the area.
Kaduna state police public relations officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, simply said in a chat: “Yes, we have received the information about the incident and the CP has ordered a full scale investigation into the matter.
According to some of the residents, the shooting occurred near one of the busy junctions in Barnawa market, a densely populated area known for its bubbling nightlife.
One of the witnesses, Abdullahi, said the NDLEA operatives had stormed the area in an unmarked vehicle and were chasing a young man suspected of being in possession of narcotics when the tragedy happened.
“We were all here when the NDLEA men chased somebody. They were shouting at him to stop. Then one of them fired a shot and it hit a completely different person who was just passing by. That boy had nothing to do with the matter. He was innocent,” Abdullahi said.
The identity of the victim had not been officially released, but residents described him as a “quiet and hardworking young man” who lived within the Barnawa neighbourhood.
Following the tragic shooting, angry youths from the community trooped out in large numbers, barricading the major road leading into Barnawa from the Aliyu Makama.
They burned tyres, chanted slogans and vowed not to leave until justice was served.
By late evening, additional police patrol vans were seen moving into Barnawa to restore order. Some of the protesters gradually dispersed, though many vowed to return if the authorities failed to act swiftly.
However, Kaduna State Government has not issued any statement about the incident at the time of going to press.
