Air force, police personnel clash in Abuja

There was commotion in Abuja on Thursday as some police officers and Air Force men clashed on Abuja-Keffi road, Nyanya.

Trouble started when two young officers of the Air Force driving against the traffic were stopped by the monitoring team of the Federal Capital Territory.

The policemen, the FRSC officials and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps on the team directed the two men to turn back and follow the right way.

This angered the young officers, who howled at the Police Commander, Azeez Idowu.

This infuriated the policemen and other officers in the team who tried to arrest the young men. The situation degenerated when some air force men arrived at the scene to rescue their colleagues from the policemen.

The Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Task Team on Traffic Control, Ikharo Attach, had a hectic time bringing the situation under control.

A new detachment of the Air Force men arrived at the scene minutes later with the policemen insisting on taking the two young officers to the police command.

The PUNCH’s correspondent heard one of the two officers telling an FRSC officer, “What I have seen in this life, you can’t see it in your dream.”  This led to another round of quarrel as the uniformed men continued the brickbat, wielding guns.

Normalcy, however, returned as officers on the Air Force team asked the young officers to apologise to the police commander.