Tension gripped the Bayan Gari area of Bauchi metropolis on Friday, October 10, 2025, following a fatal clash between police officers on patrol and soldiers attached to Operation Safe Haven, Jos. The confrontation resulted in the tragic shooting death of a police officer, Constable Ukasha Muhammed (F/No 533164).

The Bauchi State Police Command confirmed the incident through its spokesperson, CSP Mohammed Ahmed Wakil, who issued a statement on Saturday. The command received a distress report around 10:35 PM on the day of the incident, concerning a serious event involving a patrol team led by Inspector Hussaini Samaila during a routine patrol at Bayan Gari, specifically in front of Padimo Hotel.

According to the police report and a relative of the deceased, Rashida Muhammed, the incident began around 9 PM. The patrol team initially encountered an assault on Constable Ukasha Muhammed by two individuals. The team responded swiftly, arresting one of the assailants, Private Usman Mubarak (23NA/84/5346), a soldier attached to the Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven, Jos. The other assailant managed to escape.

However, the situation escalated approximately an hour later, at about 11:05 PM. Two other soldiers, identified as Private Yakubu Yahuza (23NA/85/10185) and Private Godspower Gabriel (23NA/84/5654), both partially dressed in military uniforms and armed with rifles, approached the police team. Without provocation, they confronted the team and fatally shot Constable Ukasha Muhammed in the left chest before attempting to flee the vicinity. Local residents reportedly apprehended the soldiers until police reinforcements arrived and took them into custody.

The injured officer was immediately rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, where medical personnel pronounced him dead. His remains have since been deposited at the hospital mortuary. The two soldiers, Private Yakubu Yahuza and Private Godspower Gabriel, are currently in police custody.

Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has urged his men to remain calm and emphasized the importance of a thorough and discreet investigation. The Command has constituted a team of seasoned homicide investigators, tasked with conducting a professional, diligent, and timely investigation to establish evidence, clear all doubts, and ensure justice is served. This meticulous process will deploy all requisite protocols vital to a detailed investigation.

This incident recalls a similar event in August of the same year, where a police officer attached to the Bauchi Command allegedly shot a soldier at a checkpoint in the Alkaleri area of the state while on escort duty. An investigation into that earlier incident is also ongoing.