An immigration officer has accidentally shot himself three times in the foot while attempting to block protesters in Bulunkutu area of Maiduguri on Thursday.
The sound of the gunshots initially infuriated the protesters, who thought one of their comrade had been shot.
Meanwhile, upon discovering that it was the immigration officer who had been injured, the protesters calmed down.
A joint security taskforce comprising police, military, immigration, DSS, and NSCDC had taken over the Bulunkutu Railway Junction to stop hardship protesters from gaining access into the main city of Maiduguri.
The self-wounded officer, part of the security team drafted to disperse the crowd, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.
At the time of filing this report, his current condition remains unknown.
The protesters were demonstrating against various issues, including the government’s handling of the ongoing insurgency in the region, corruption, and the high cost of living.