The Nigerian Army announced on Wednesday that a military personnel who killed a 16-year-old protester in Zaria has been arrested.
EKO HOT BLOG reports that Army spokesperson Onyema Nwachukwu disclosed in a statement that the incident occurred while soldiers were enforcing a 24-hour curfew in Kaduna and Zaria following reports of violence during the nationwide protest.
Nwachukwu explained that soldiers were attacked by hoodlums while enforcing the curfew in the Samaru area of Zaria. The hoodlums were reportedly throwing stones at security personnel and burning tires despite the curfew.
The spokesperson stated that a soldier fired a warning shot to disperse the protesters but accidentally killed the boy.
The statement reads, “On 6 August 2024, troops of the Nigerian Army received a distress call that some hoodlums gathered in Samaru in large numbers, burning tires on the road and pelting stones at security personnel.
“The troops immediately mobilized and arrived at the scene to disperse the mob and enforce the curfew imposed by the state government.
“Upon arrival, the hoodlums brazenly attempted to attack the troops, prompting a soldier to fire a warning shot to scare them away, which unfortunately led to the death of a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed.
“The soldier involved has since been arrested and is undergoing interrogation as of the time of this report.”
The statement added that Chief of Army Staff Taoreed Lagbaja sent a high-powered delegation led by General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Lander Saraso, to visit and offer condolences to the family of the deceased. The deceased has been buried according to Islamic rites, with senior military officers in attendance.
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