Nigerian Army has acknowledged that its troops mistakenly killed a 16-year-old boy during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
This tragic incident occurred in Samaru town, Zaria, Kaduna, on Tuesday, August 6, 2024.
Onyema Nwachukwu, the army spokesperson, explained that Ismail Mohammed, the 16-year-old boy, was accidentally shot by a soldier attempting to fire warning shots to disperse hoodlums.
Mr. Nwachukwu clarified that troops were deployed to restore order and enforce the curfew previously imposed by the Governor, following reports that the protests in Samaru had turned violent. However, the protesters resisted the troops’ presence.
He stated that the hoodlums boldly tried to attack the soldiers, prompting one of them to fire warning shots to scare them off, which unfortunately resulted in Ismail Mohammed’s death.
The army spokesperson added that the soldier who fired the shot has been taken in for questioning. Meanwhile, a delegation of officers was sent to convey condolences to the bereaved family and attend Ismail Mohammed’s burial.
Zainab Sani, Ismail Mohammed’s mother, recounted that the tragic event took place around 9:00 a.m. at their family house on Sarkin Pawa Street, Samaru, Zaria.
She said the late Ismail was playing with his friends and brother in front of their house when they saw soldiers approaching. “With one of the soldiers pointing his gun at them, they ran into the house and shut the gate,” Ms. Sani explained.
Ms. Sani claimed that the soldier then shot at the gate, killing Ismail, who was standing by it to prevent the soldiers from entering.
She added that her son had just completed his final secondary school examination in Zaria and was seeking admission to further his education when the incident occurred.