TRACEREPORTERS ...There was tension in Kawo general area of Kaduna State on Monday when residents of the area protested against the killing of a soap seller by police.

According to eye witness account, the soap seller whose name is yet to be identified was with other residents of the area who chased some suspected kidnappers before being shot by police.

Our correspondent learnt that the suspected kidnappers were about to abduct some people in Sabon Kawo when residents immediately blocked routes leading in and out of the area.

The residents chased down the fleeing suspects and apprehended two among them, where one was eventually being set ablaze in tyres.

Police upon receiving information that there was chaos in the area immediately came to disperse the mob. In an attempt to rescue the other suspect, they shot sporadically into the crowd and mistakenly killed one person, leaving several others injured.

The protesters who were saying Bazaamu Yarda Ba meaning “we won’t take this from the police” were seen burning tyres, placing shrapnels and log of woods on the highway leading from Kaduna to Zaria and Birnin-Gwari to prevent human and vehicular movement, insisted that the other kidnapper in police custody be released to them, while also demanding justice for the soap seller killed.

A resident, Sadi Dauda in an interview with our reporter said: ” I sighted large crowd from afar and immediately rushed down. Kawo community people received information that some kidnappers numbering about three are operating in Sabon Kawo and immediately blocked the roads. They chased down the kidnappers and killed one out of the apprehended, while the other one fled the scene. Immediately police got to the scene, they started shooting sporadically to scare away people and they shot an innocent person dead. They shot four people in the process one is dead and the remaining three are in Kawo General Hospital.

“Now the residents are protesting that the kidnapper in their custody be released so that they can do instant justice. They said they won’t leave unless he is released.”

Our reporter gathered that security operatives have arrived the scene to douse tension in the area.

However, spokesman for Kaduna State Police Command Yakubu Sabo had not spoken on the incident as at the time of filing this report. Efforts to contact him have proved abortive.

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