Police officers and soldiers exchange fire at Maiduguri over Ramadan rice, samovita in government house

There was shoot out between some police officers and soldiers at the Maiduguri Government House, Borno state this afternoon when soldiers in a truck attempted to forcefully get a share of the rice being distributed to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) not living in camps in the state.

DailyTrust reports that the distribution of rice for the IDPs had started from about a week ago under the watch of policemen in the Government House who are to ensure that the rice is given only to the people who really need it.

It is being alleged that the soldiers had been coming to get from the rice since the distribution started without appropriate documentation.

However when they came for some rice today, the policemen refused to allow them to get from the rice distribution and a shootout ensued leading to at least one policeman being injured.

Currently, the policemen are holding two soldiers at the second gate of the government house, while their soldier colleagues are at the first trying to get them back.