Nigerian Policemen Harass, Clash With Youths Who Confronted Trucks Carrying Lithium In Abuja Community | Sahara Reporters

While residents blocking trucks on the road could create a dangerous situation, concerns have also been raised over the decision by the police officers to approach the confrontation with firearms drawn.

Police officers attached to the Katampe Division of the Nigeria Police Force have allegedly been caught on camera shooting at youths during a confrontation over trucks attempting to pass through Mpape community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The incident reportedly occurred in Mpape, a densely populated hillside community where residents allegedly blocked trucks said to be transporting natural resources, including lithium.

However, it remains unclear what the trucks were carrying. Some eyewitnesses said they were transporting lithium, while others suggested they could have been carrying chippings or other materials commonly transported through the area.

A video circulating on social media and seen by SaharaReporters shows police officers with firearms drawn during the confrontation with residents.

The circumstances that led to the confrontation were not immediately clear. Eyewitness accounts indicated that some residents had blocked the trucks and prevented them from proceeding through the community.

Mpape has a major access road serving the densely populated community, meaning confrontations involving heavy-duty trucks and residents can quickly cause significant obstruction and tension.

While residents blocking trucks on the road could create a dangerous situation, concerns have also been raised over the decision by the police officers to approach the confrontation with firearms drawn.

An eyewitness who spoke about the incident said residents should not stand directly in front of moving trucks, but also questioned the manner in which the police responded to the situation.

“Two wrongs don’t make a right,” the eyewitness said, adding that police officers should not arrive at a crowded one-way community with rifles already drawn and seemingly ready to shoot.

The eyewitness said the presence of armed police officers in such a tense environment could escalate rather than de-escalate the situation.

The video did not independently establish whether the officers fired live ammunition or where the shots, if any, were directed. SaharaReporters could also not independently verify what the trucks were carrying at the time of filing this report.

The incident comes amid concerns over the movement of heavy-duty trucks transporting natural resources and other materials through communities in the FCT, particularly where residents and commercial operators share narrow access roads.

SaharaReporters contacted the FCT Police Command spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Josephine Adeh, through WhatsApp messages and phone calls seeking clarification on the incident, the identity of the officers involved and whether any shots were fired.

She had not responded to the messages or calls as of the time of filing this report.