Sarkin-Pawa, Niger State
A police officer identified as Asuquo, a member of the 28 Police Mobile Force (PMF) based in Umuahia, Abia State, reportedly took his own life in the early hours of Wednesday while on special assignment in Niger State. According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication covering the Lake Chad region, the incident occurred around 1:59 am at the Sarkin-Pawa police division.
Sources revealed that Asuquo had been exhibiting unusual behavior prior to the tragic event, prompting his unit commander to order the withdrawal and secure storage of his service rifle in the division’s armoury as a precautionary measure. However, the officer allegedly gained access to a colleague’s rifle while the fellow officer was asleep and used it to fatally shoot himself in the head.
Wasiu Abiodun, the Niger State Police Command spokesperson, confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death. “The report is true. The command has commenced an investigation into the matter,” Abiodun said. The deceased’s body has been transferred to a nearby morgue pending further procedures.
This marks the second reported case of suicide involving a police officer in Niger State within four months. On February 8, ASP Shafi’u Bawa, attached to the 61 Police Mobile Force, was found dead in his residence in Kontagora Local Government Area, having hanged himself from his room ceiling.
