The Nigerian Army has released a statement clarifying the events leading to the death of a 16-year-old protester, Ismail Mohammed, in Zaria, Kaduna State.
According to the Army, troops responded to a distress call about hoodlums gathering and burning tires, and fired a warning shot to disperse the crowd, which unfortunately hit and killed the teenager.
The Army spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, stated that the soldier involved has been arrested and is undergoing interrogation, according to ThisDay.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has sent a delegation to condole with the deceased’s family, and senior military officers attended the funeral.
The Army’s account emphasizes that the troops were attempting to enforce the curfew and disperse the crowd when the incident occurred, and that the death was an unfortunate consequence of the situation.
Nwachukwu explained: “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 on security personnel. 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 attacking 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.”