The Nigerian Army has detained a soldier who killed a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed, while attempting to stop hoodlums who were causing mayhem in Samaru, Zaria in Kaduna State on Tuesday.
This information was provided in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Nwachukwu said, “The troops received a distress call that some hoodlums gathered in the Samaru area of Zaria in large numbers, burning tyres on the road and pelting stones on security personnel.”
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He added, “The troops immediately mobilised and arrived at the scene to disperse the mob and enforce the curfew imposed by the State Government.”
“On arrival at the scene, the hoodlums brazenly attempted to attack the troops prompting a soldier to fire a warning shot to scare the hoodlums away, which unfortunately led to the death of a 16-year-old boy Ismail Mohammed.”
“The soldier involved has since been arrested and undergoing interrogation as at the time of this report,” he said.
Nwachukwu noted that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, was “saddened by the unfortunate incident.”
He also stated that the COAS had sent a high-powered delegation led by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Maj.-Gen. Lander Saraso, “to visit and condole with the family of the deceased.”
According to him, “The deceased was buried according to Islamic rites with senior military officers of the Nigerian army in attendance.”
