Hardship protest: Army detains soldier over killing of 16-year-old protester in Kaduna

The Army has detained a soldier over killing a protester in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Army spokesperson, Maj-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, announced this in a statement on Wednesday, August 7.

He said the unfortunate incident happened on August 6 when army troops were mobilised to stop some hoodlums in Samaru, a sub-urb of Zaria.

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 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.

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“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.

“ The soldier involved has since been arrested and undergoing interrogation as at the time of this report.”

Nwachukwu said the Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, 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.

He said deceased was buried according to islamic rites with senior military officers of the Nigerian Army in attendance.