The leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, and the Kano State Police Command have disagreed over the killing of a teenager by an erring police officer.

While the NNPP claimed the teenager was killed by the police officer during a peaceful protest in the state, the police said the teenager’s death was not in connection with the protest.

A statement credited to the NNPP’s Acting National Chairman, Hon. Abba Kawu Ali, on Wednesday, however, condemned the brutal killing of the teenager and called for an investigation into the circumstances that led to his death.

“The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) hereby brings to the attention of Nigerians and the world at large that the Nigeria Police have shot dead a young man, Salisu Player, somewhere around Kurna in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State.

“He is one of the three people shot, while the others are in critical condition. The incident occurred yesterday evening during a peaceful protest.

“The NNPP has always asked the citizens to do their protest in a peaceful manner, and the protest around Kurna where Salisu Player was shot, though spontaneous, was not different.

“It would appear that men of the Nigeria Police are ill-trained for handling even peaceful protests, as we regret the recorded death, which is painful and unfortunate.

“We commiserate with the friends and family of the deceased as we urge all the people of Kano to remain calm and restrained from acting outside the rule of law,” Hon. Abba Kawu Ali stated.

In a swift reaction, the spokesperson of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna, kicked against the claims by the NNPP’s acting chairman, Hon. Ali.

SP Haruna said, “This is misleading, as the incident has nothing to do with any protest.”

Meanwhile, available information has it that the incident leading to the death of teenager Player was said to have occurred when the police officer was attempting to disperse rivalry groups in a clash in the Kurna area of the state.

However, the deceased friends took to the streets to protest the killing and barricaded the Kano-Katsina-Daura highway to demand justice for the deceased. (Vanguard)

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