Attendant killed as fight breaks out over ‘delayed sale of petrol to air force officers’

An attendant at a petrol station has been been killed following a fight involving persons reported to be air force personnel in Minna, the Niger capital.

The incident occurred on Monday at the Shafa filling station, along Bosso road in Minna.

Speaking with journalists on the incident, Saadu Umar, manager of the filling station, said the attendant, identified as Yusuf Umar, was shot by an air force officer.

The attendant reportedly tried to intervene in a misunderstanding involving the station manager and the officers.

Yusuf was said to have threatened the officers with a cutlass after they slapped his manager, but he was shot.

“We have established a relationship with the air force because they are registered with us for more than a year now. Whenever they come to buy petrol from us, the accountant in charge usually calls me to describe the Hilux and the litres of fuel to be sold to them,” he said.

“When they got here, I saw three of them without uniforms. One was cutting his nails. I told him to stop cutting nails at the station. He responded and asked if I knew who they were. One of them who wore uniform approached me, saying they are his colleagues who were not wearing uniform because they were not on duty.

“I called their accountant, but he didn’t respond. So, I went to attend to other customers. The officer wearing uniform approached me, asking why I had not attended to them. I told him I needed to confirm from their accountant who was yet to respond to my call. Before I realised it, one of them who was not on uniform slapped me.

“I fell down and my co-workers gathered, trying to help me up. Suddenly, I heard a gunshot. He is my blood brother. The boy is dead and the military personnel ran away.”

The attendant was said to have been taken to the Minna General hospital, but died before reaching the facility.

Following the incident, services at the filling station have been suspended.

Efforts to reach Wasiu Abiodun, Niger police spokesperson, were not successful as he did not respond to calls or messages.

Meanwhile, when contacted on Tuesday, Edward Gabkwet, NAF spokesman, said the incident is currently being investigated.