A POLICE Inspector attached to the “C” Division Police Station of Jos North in Plateau State, Inspector Mohammed Kile Tahir, lost his life on Saturday night, March 1, 2025.
It was gathered that the incident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. around Moonshine Hotel near Atili Street during a confrontation between the police, who were on a routine patrol, and the motorcyclists (Okada riders) and tricyclists.
The police were said to have barricaded the road for “stop and search” operations.
Rather than going after criminals, the Okada and tricycle riders, who were also breaking the restriction movement at that time, alleged that the police were busy extorting ₦50, ₦100, and ₦1,000 from them.
The commercial Okada and tricycle riders, at that hour, also violated the state government law, which states that they should stop their operations by 6 p.m.
They also claimed that the police would always hide in a dark corner at such odd hours, block the roads, and collect money from innocent motorists.
The riders, provoked by the incident, quickly mobilized their members, who came and descended on the police officers, throwing stones, sticks, and machetes at them. This left the Inspector badly wounded, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead the following day.
Another version stated that it was operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) who were on operations in search of drug peddlers at those late hours.
This version said that in the course of their operation, the “C” Division Police officers, who were on routine patrol, coincidentally passed through that axis.
This version argued that it was the suspected drug peddlers who mobilised themselves against the NDLEA officials and that it was not the police.
When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Alfred Alabo did not pick up calls put to him.
