Soldiers kill passenger at check point in Katsina

Soldiers in Katsina State on Thursday opened fire on a commercial
vehicle with reg. number AY504KTN, killing one of the passengers.
Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, the JTF spokesman in the state, confirmed the
incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Katsina.
Iweha said that the soldiers opened fire on the vehicle when the
driver attempted to beat a military check point at Batagarawa area of
the state.
He said that one of the passengers in the vehicle was hit and died instantly.
The JTF spokesman said that the affected driver had been arrested
while the vehicle had been placed under the custody of the army.
Iweha said that investigation into the incident had also commenced.
Meanwhile, an eye witness, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that
the driver allegedly attempted to overtake a truck at the check point.
The eye witness said that the deceased was later identified as Umar
Ali, 22, and a National Diploma II student of Hassan Usman Katsina
Polytechnic, Katsina.
According to the witness, the deceased was travelling along with his
friends to Minna, Niger, for a wedding ceremony when the incident
occurred.