Police van kills two schoolgirls in Jigawa

A Police van pursuing a commercial vehicle in Mallammadori Local Government Area of Jigawa State has knocked down and killed two schoolgirls, as well as four others reportedly injured, in the unfortunate incident which occurred on Friday.

Penpushing reports that  residents made this known, adding that, the two schoolgirls were returning home after school hours when the incident occurred, stressing that, the victims were knocked down by the police patrol vehicle while chasing a vehicle that had refused to stop at a police checkpoint.

The residents said the incident later resulted in a clash between the police and a mob that led to the burning of the police patrol van and the vehicle it chased, but the police explained to journalists that, only one girl was affected.

Penpushing further reports that, the Jigawa State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abdu Jinjiri, said   ‘police were performing their constitutional responsibility when the unfortunate incident happened, and only one girl was affected.”

The Command spokesperson explained that two police officers in a patrol vehicle were chasing the suspected criminals’ vehicle when they “mistakenly knocked down a schoolgirl who was on her way home after school hours”.

“However, an angry mob reacted, leading to injuring the four passengers travelling in the suspected vehicle, and burning of both the patrol vehicle and the suspects’ vehicle as well,” he said, adding that, the two officers have been arrested and detained for investigation, while four injured others are receiving treatment at the Hadejia General Hospital.