A female soldier enforcing the curfew imposed by Adamawa government has killed a senior colleague at a checkpoint in Yola, the state capital.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri had imposed the curfew after hoodlums broke into government warehouses and looted several items, including palliatives meant to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy.

Daily Trust reports that the female soldier simply identified as Lance Corporal Nkiru shot a captain who tried to intervene in her altercation with civilians at Fire Service Roundabout in the state capital.

Security sources told Daily Trust that the female soldier had insisted that motorists returning home during the curfew hours must turn back.

Some of them had identified themselves as workers on essential duty but she stood her ground.

“Some people stopped at the checkpoint explained themselves as workers on essential duties but the female soldier insisted they must turn back. A captain came forward to intervene. Unfortunately she had already cocked her rifle, so she just fired and killed him accidentally,” a security officer said.

The victim was said to have been rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, where he was confirmed dead while the suspect was instantly arrested and whisked away by soldiers.

Daily Trust learnt that the female soldier has been severally accused of harassing civilians, cocking her rifle at the slightest provocation.

When the newspaper correspondent visited the headquarters of 23 Armoured Brigade Yola for confirmation, the Commander, Brigadier General Muhammad Gambo, sent a message that journalists must seek appointment in writing before he could speak to them.

The new military rulers of Niger, who took over the government in a coup last week, have detained at least l80 members of the ousted democratically elected administration, the previous ruling party said on Monday.

Energy Minister Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, Mines Minister Ousseini Hadizatou and the president of the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS), Foumakoye Gado, were among those detained, PNDS spokesman Hamid N’Gadé said.

He added that Interior Minister Hama Adamou Souley, Transport Minister Oumarou Malam Alma and his deputy, Kalla Moutari, were also detained by the coup plotters.

The “abusive arrests” were evidence of “the repressive, dictatorial and unlawful behaviour” of the military, N’Gadé said.

On Wednesday, officers from General Omar Tchiani’s elite unit declared Niger’s democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, of the PNDS, out of power.

Tchiani then appointed himself as the new ruler on Friday.

Shortly afterwards, the coup plotters suspended the West African country’s constitution and dissolved all constitutional institutions.

The coup has been internationally condemned.

The West African Community of States (ECOWAS) issued an ultimatum to the coup leaders on Sunday, saying that if Bazoum was not released and reinstated within a week, it would take measures that could include the use of force.

On Monday, the military governments of neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali warned ECOWAS against intervening.

Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali, a joint statement by the two transitional governments said.

Military intervention could have disastrous consequences that could destabilise the entire sub-region, they said.

Burkina Faso and Mali are themselves ECOWAS members.

The European Union (EU) said it supported the ECOWAS measures, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Monday.

Bazoum remains the sole head of state of the country and any other authority cannot be recognised, Borrell said.

Up until the coup, Niger, a former French colony, was seen as an anchor of democracy in the Sahel region, which has been ravaged by Islamist terrorism.

NAN