Video: Army Officer to the Rescue as Abuja NYSC Camp Looters Overwhelm Police Officers

Malik Yahya & NAN/

It took the intervention of a young military officer to restore calm to the Orientation Camp of the National Youth Service Corps in Kubwa area of Abuja today after it was invaded by looters.

The young officer, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, led a detachment of soldiers to the camp after the police could no longer contain the situation.

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The looters had earlier defied the police officers guarding the camp, nearly stabbing the Kubwa Divisional Police Officer, Abdullahi Bello, in the process.

Bello, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said he and his men had to retreat to avoid the hoodlums from attacking them.

He said all efforts to talk to them that there was no palliative stored in the camp warehouse fell on deaf hears.

“When they flooded the orientation camp on Saturday, we talked to them and even opened the warehouse for them to see that there were no palliative materials in the store.

“Today, we did the same talking to them but they did not listen. They started throwing stones while some of them pulled out knives and whatever.

“They advanced towards the warehouse where items and foodstuff meant for the incoming youth corps members were kept. They looted and made away with items, foodstuff, equipment, and even old mattresses in the camp.

“I was almost stabbed by them,” he said.

The DPO said 20 officers were deployed initially to safeguard the camp but more officers were later reinforced when things were getting out of hand.

“We deployed additional 20 officers, making 40 personnel,” he said.

Bello, who said his men decided to exercise great caution despite the provisions of the law that allowed police officers to use minimum force in such a situation, said it took military intervention to put everything under control.

Bello, who could not confirm that two people were shot dead during the incident, said at least 38 persons were arrested in connection with the looting.

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