Tension as Immigration officer accidentally shoots self during protest in Maiduguri

Pandemonium erupted in the Bulunkutu area of Maiduguri on Thursday when an immigration officer accidentally shot himself three times in the foot while attempting to block protesters.

The sound of the gunshots initially provoked the protesters, who feared one of their own had been shot. The crowd calmed down upon discovering that it was the immigration officer who had been injured.

According to LEADERSHIP, a joint patrol team comprising police, military, immigration, DSS, and Civil Defence had barricaded the Bulunkutu Railway Junction to prevent hardship protesters from reaching the main city of Maiduguri.

The self-wounded officer, part of the security team deployed to disperse the crowd, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. His current condition remains unknown.

The protesters were demonstrating against various issues, including the government’s handling of the ongoing insurgency in the region, corruption, and the high cost of living.

The incident underscores the tensions and complexities surrounding public demonstrations in the area, reflecting the broader discontent with current socio-economic conditions in Nigeria.

(Leadership)