A Plateau State High Court has sentenced police officer Ruya Auta to death for killing a University of Jos student, Rinji Bala, five years ago.
The case dates back to May 12, 2020, when Bala, a 20-year-old 300-level student of History and International Studies, was out for an evening walk with four friends.
A local vigilante group stopped them, but the boys ran out of fear. The vigilantes chased them while shouting “thieves” before handing them over to officers of Operation Safe Haven.
According to the task force spokesperson, Ibrahim Shittu, the boys were questioned and nothing wrong was found, so they were released.
But as they walked away, Auta reportedly mistook them for escaping suspects and opened fire, killing Bala on the spot.
The shooting sparked anger across Jos, with many residents calling for justice.
After several years in court, the judge finally gave a ruling on Monday, December 8, sentencing Auta to death by hanging or lethal injection.
Reacting to the judgment, Barr. Garba Pwul (SAN), who represented the Plateau State Government, said he was satisfied with the outcome.
He noted that it took five years of consistent effort to get justice for Bala, his family, and the state government, adding that the case required careful handling because it involved a capital offence.