More information has come to light about the heroics of the Intelligence Response Team members allegedly shot to death by soldiers along Ibi–Jalingo Road, Taraba State, on Tuesday.
The team was said to be part of operatives who rescued the District head of Daura, Alh. Musa Umar in Kano State and arrested 13 suspects involved in his abduction in Daura, Katsina State, on May 1, 2019.
The IRT men led by ASP Felix Adolije reportedly came under attack from soldiers while taking a kidnap kingpin, Alhaji Hamisu, to the Command Headquarters in Jalingo.
The Force spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, had explained in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, that one Inspector, two Sergeants and a civilian died as a result of gunshot injuries, while others sustained gunshot wounds.
IRT Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, informed The PUNCH via WhatsApp on Thursday, that the team was one of the best and most highly trained IRT teams in the country.
He explained that the members were part of the teams responsible for the arrest of the notorious kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans.
According to him, the men also took part in the arrest of 22 Boko Haram terrorists who abducted over 200 Chibok schoolgirls in Borno State in 2014.
Kyari stated, “They similarly participated in the arrest of Umar Abdulmalik, overall Boko Haram Commander Of North Central, Nigeria and several of his group members.
“They arrested the kidnappers of two American and two Canadian citizens in Kaduna State and most recently, they took part in the rescue of Magajin Garin Daura in Kano State during which 13 suspects who carried out the abduction were arrested in Kano.”
The DCP lamented the alleged release of Hamisu by the soldiers who attacked the IRT team, describing the incident as sad.
The Nigerian Army has, however, promised to collaborate with the police to investigate the incident.
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