A Nigerian Army soldier reportedly shot a 16-year-old protester, Ismail Mohammed, during the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstrations in Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna State, on Tuesday.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyeama Nwachukwu, confirmed the incident in a statement titled “Unfortunate Death of a Protester by a Soldier in Zaria.”
Nwachukwu explained that the soldier’s action occurred when the army was called to disperse a group of individuals in Samaru who were burning tires and attacking security forces.
According to Nwachukwu, when the mob attempted to assault the troops, a soldier fired a warning shot, which inadvertently resulted in Mohammed’s death.
The statement detailed that on August 6, 2024, troops responded to a distress call about a large group of individuals causing disturbances and attacking security personnel.
Upon arriving, the soldiers faced aggression from the crowd, leading to the soldier’s warning shot.
In response to the incident, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has sent a delegation led by Major General Lander Saraso to express condolences to Mohammed’s family. The deceased was laid to rest with Islamic rites, attended by senior military officials.
