Land dispute: Soldier breaks into Kwara Police Station, stabs DPO

A soldier serving at sector 3 Garrison, Monguno, Borno State, Suleiman Sidiq, has allegedly stabbed Marufu Keji, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of a station in Ilesha Baruba, Baruteen Local Government Area of Kwara State, over a land dispute.

In a video of the incident seen by our correspondent, the soldier was seen with a jack knife while shouting at the DPO and other officers inside the station.

“I will kill you and waste your blood, I am not a coward. I am a soldier, you can video me,” he was heard saying.

Spokeswoman of Kwara Police Command, DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incident to our correspondent who visited the command on Thursday night.

In a statement that was later released on behalf of the CP, Victor Olaiya, Toun said, “parties involved were warned to maintain peace and return Thursday (today) for further resolution.

“However, the situation took a violent turn when the complainant, Suleiman Sidiq, who was under the influence of intoxicating substances, became so unruly.

“All efforts and persuasion to calm him down proved abortive, he attacked the Divisional Crime Officer, ASP Okeowo Joel. In the course of intervention by the Divisional Police Officer, DSP Marufu Keji; Suleiman Sidiq brought out a Jack Knife and inflicted severe injury on the head and stabbed him in the left hand.

“Following the assault, he fled the station by scaling the fence before he was given a hot chase and arrested.”

The statement further said the DPO was receiving medical treatment for the injuries sustained, adding that details of the incident would be provided as the investigation progresses.