Police arrest soldier for stabbing Kwara DPO

A soldier identified as Suleiman Sidiq has been arrested for stabbing a policeman in Kwara State.

This was disclosed by the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, in a statement on Thursday.

Ejire-Adeyemi said although the man was brought to the police station on Thursday to settle a complaint, he stabbed Divisional Police Officer Marufu Keji while under the influence of a suspected intoxicating substance.

“On March 20, 2024, at about 1720 hours, a report was received from one PTE, Suleiman Sidiq, a soldier serving at Sector 3 Garrison, Mongunu, Maiduguri, regarding a case of mischief in the Sinawu Town area of Ilesha-Baruba Kwara State.

“During the investigation, it was discovered that the case stemmed from a land dispute. The parties involved were warned to maintain peace and return the following day, March 21, 2024, 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 the left hand of the DPO,”  she said.

She noted that Sidiq escaped from the station by scaling the fence.

She added that policemen later caught up with him, and he was taken into custody, adding that the injured cop is currently receiving medical attention.