Borno State Deputy Governor, Usman Durkwa, was held at
gunpoint at a military checkpoint by some soldiers in Yobe State on Sunday.
The incident occurred at Buni Gari town in Gujiba local
government area of Yobe.
Durkwa who was returning from Adamawa state reportedly ran
into the military checkpoint, where no soldier was in sight.
One of the policemen attached to the deputy governor had
reportedly attempted to remove a barricade on the road.
But the military personnel came out at that moment and
questioned why he wanted to dismantle the barricade.
One of the soldiers was said to have used the butt of his
gun to hit the policeman on the head.
The deputy governor reportedly alighted after about 15
minutes but the soldiers were said to have disrespected him.
“The soldiers took positions from different directions,
aiming at the convoy, with the threat to open fire,” a source told The Cable.
“The soldiers pointed Ak47 riffle, anti-aircraft guns and
one of them was pointing a rocket propeller.
“The deputy governor, having seen what was going not after
they had denied him access for about 15 minutes, came down from his vehicle to
intervene.
“But instead of showing him respect, the soldiers became
more lawless. They said they don’t care about his office. They insulted and
called him all sort of names.
“One of the soldiers, who pointed gun at him, called him a
bloody civilian and political thief. They said they won’t lose anything killing
the deputy governor.”
The source said it took the intervention of a senior military
official before the situation was brought under control and the convoy was
eventually given access.
By Wale Odunsi
