Nigerian 17 Police Officers Detained over Boko Haram Shooting

Published on Tuesday 2nd March 2010

Soldiers patrol a street in Bauchi during the Boko Haram crisis last year.

Nigerian Police spokesman Yemi Ajayi Monday says 17 officers have been detained for questioning after a video supposedly showed officers executing people after religious rioting.

Ajayi said the 17 officers were taken to Abuja for questioning over the videotape, which aired on the Arab TV network Al-Jazeera last month.

The killings supposedly took place last year after clashes with Muslim militants in parts of northern Nigeria.

The footage shows two uniformed men forcing seven young men to lie face-down at the side of a busy road. The uniformed men then fire into the men's backs. The footage could not be authenticated by The Associated Press.

About 700 people were killed during last July Boko Haram sect attacks.