A group of artisanal miners in Borno State have attacked security personnel, burned down a patrol car, and ruthlessly murdered a Police Mobile Force (PMF) officer.
The tragic event happened at a Millennium Metals mining facility in the Zunzungi region of the state on Tuesday at approximately 1:45 p.m., according to Sahara Reporters.
A wireless message from the aforementioned publication claims that while on routine patrol in the Millennium Metals mining area, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel tasked with protecting mining materials attacked a group of local youths, known as “daba boys,” who were allegedly illegally digging monazite, also known as “zeiko” in the area.
The mined product was reportedly confiscated by the NSCDC agents during the interaction. But things soon became out of control.
At the same time, the lads organized and attacked the NSCDC staff once the merchandise was caught. Additionally attacked was a police officer, the late PC Emmanuel Samson, who was on a combined patrol with the NSCDC squad.
One of the security team’s Hilux patrol cars was set on fire by the attackers during the resulting fighting.
However, the attackers are said to have beaten PC Emmanuel Samson, who was assigned to MOPOL 12, Police Mobile Force, Minna, to death.
The statement read, “X SITREP X FROM SUPOL KATAEREGI X GRATEFUL BE INFORM THAT X TODAY 11/02/26 AT ABOUT 1345HRS X INFO RECEIVED FROM OC ZUNZUNGI MINE X THAT X NSCDC MINING MATIALS ON PATROL WITHIN MINING SITE BELONGS TO MILLINIUM METALS AT ZUNZUNGI AOR MINE X ACCOASTED BOYS ( DABA’S) DIGGING THE MONOXIDE (ZEIKO)PRODUCT X EVENTUALLY SIZED THE PRODUCT X THE BOYS MOBILIZED AND ATTACKED NSCDC MATIALS TOGETHER WITH ONE LATE PC EMMANUEL SAMSON WHO WAS ON PATROL WITH NSCDC MATIALS X UNFORTUNATELY X HILUX VEHICLE WAS SET ON FIRE X REGRETTABLY X LATE PC EMMANUEL SAMSON ATTACHED TO MOPOL 12 PMF MINNA WAS BEATEN TO DEATH BY THE BOYS NOT YET IDENTIFY X HIS RIFLE WAS CARTER AWAY X HIS CORPSE HAS BEEN REMOVED X MONITORING IN PROGRESS X FURTHER DEVELOPMENT SHALL BE COMMUNICATED YOURS ABOVE FOR YOUR INFORMATION X PLS.XXX.”
