Riot broke out in Garki yesterday following the alleged killing of six persons on Tuesday by the police, resulting in the sack of the Apo mechanic village police post with three vehicles in the premises burnt and the police post destroyed.

An eyewitness of the incident which brought activities to a halt in Garki, a suburb of Abuja, Mr. Idu Okechukwu, said that at about 9.20 pm, Wednesday a group of six persons in a Peugeot 406 saloon car with Reg. AQ85RBC, were gunned down at the police checkpoint and the victims and vehicle taken away by the police.

Mr. Idu said that on Wednesday morning, Garki residents intercepted the police as they were conveying the corpses to an unknown destination and hijacked the police vehicle causing confusion and pandemonium in the Garki neighbourhood, as news broke out spreading to the Apo mechanic village.

Confirming the incident, FCT police commissioner Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo, in a press statement, said the police received a distress call that hoodlums attacked lodgers at Crown Guest Inn off Gimbia street and escaped.

The police commissioner said the hoodlums attempted robbing a red Toyota car along the same street and the policeman on the street on stop and search accosted the Peugeot saloon car but were confronted with a gunfire from the hoodlums.

"During exchange of fire, four of the hoodlums were gunned down with two other injured but later died at the Garki General Hospital. The 406 car was recovered in addition to two locally made pistols, two live ammunitions and two expended cartridges," the statement said.

The statement said earlier reports received at the control room confirmed that the Director General (DG) of NEMA was attacked by this same gang at Plot 417 Lake Chad crescent, Maitama and the occupants dispossessed of valuable items including money.

The statement added that having deposited the corpses of the hoodlums at the mortuary, no claimants came forward, but surprisingly, when the corpses were being conveyed for burial, some hoodlums from Apo mechanic village hijacked the vehicle conveying the corpses leading to a riotous situation.

Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo who said that the situation has been brought under control, also said that 20 suspects have been arrested for arson and willful damage to property while investigations continue.

The police commissioner said that the seeming disturbance is not connected with any demolition exercise and assured members of the public of their safety and the provision of adequate security to live and property.

	Copyright © 2005 Daily Trust. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).