Grief has engulfed the Kuchibuyi community in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory after a land dispute turned deadly, leaving Attahiru Abubakar, son of the Chief Imam, Abubakar Yaqub, allegedly shot dead by police officers on Saturday.
Sources revealed that Attahiru died instantly after being struck by a police bullet, while his elder brother, Abass, sustained serious gunshot wounds and remains in critical condition in a hospital.
The FCT Police Command, however, in a statement released on Saturday through its spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, explained that the incident occurred while officers were responding to civil unrest.
According to Adeh, “The FCT Police Command received a distress call regarding a civil unrest incident stemming from a land dispute at Kuchibuyi community under Byazin Division.
“The Divisional Police Officers of Byazin and Kubwa swiftly mobilised to the scene and brought the situation under control. Arrests have been made, and the investigation is currently ongoing.”
She emphasized that the police were not the instigators of the conflict, stating, “It is important to clarify that the issue is a communal dispute and not in any way related to the police.”
In the same statement, the Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, strongly condemned reported attacks on officers: “The Commissioner of Police strongly condemns the actions of youths attacking police officers who were on a mission to restore law and order.
“Such behaviour will not be condoned, and firm action will be taken against anyone who attacks police or other security personnel responding to distress calls.”
Despite the official stance, members of the Kuchibuyi community have rejected the police narrative, alleging that officers fired indiscriminately, resulting in deaths and injuries—a detail they say was deliberately omitted from the statement.
Speaking to PUNCH Metro on Sunday, Sanusi Abubakar, brother to the deceased, gave a chilling account of what transpired, claiming that their father, the Chief Imam, was also shot in the chaos.
He said, “There was one estate manager who wanted to take over a large portion of the community land without our knowledge. He arrived with some soldiers and vigilantes.
“Later, he called the police. After some boys blocked the road during the standoff, and it was seemingly resolved, police officers and the task force returned and started shooting at residents.
“My brother, Attahiru, was shot dead on the spot. My second brother, Abass, was also hit and is in the hospital. Our father, the Chief Imam, was also shot.”
A resident who witnessed the event corroborated Sanusi’s story but asked not to be named for fear of retaliation.
“The police lied in their statement. They didn’t mention that three people were shot—two sons of the Chief Imam and the Imam himself. Attahiru died instantly from a gunshot to the chest while his brother is in the hospital in Bwari.
“After that, the police arrested about six young men they saw on sight. What happened yesterday (Saturday) was frightening, and they’re trying to cover it up. That same estate manager brought soldiers to the community just two days earlier.”
Photos obtained by PUNCH Metro showed Attahiru’s lifeless body with a visible gunshot wound in the chest and another image capturing him wrapped in cloth after the shooting.
When contacted again for clarification on why her statement didn’t acknowledge the shooting or fatality, police spokesperson Adeh simply referred back to her earlier press release and did not respond to follow-up questions.
The tragic death of Attahiru Abubakar adds to the growing list of Nigerians, including women and young people, who have lost their lives in incidents tied to alleged police brutality.
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