The Nigerian Army has taken responsibility for the death of a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed, during the protest against hunger in Zaira, Kaduna State.
According to Army spokesperson, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the teenager’s death resulted from troops firing a warning shot to deter hoodlums and enforce the curfew imposed by the state government.
Politics Nigeria reports that the Kaduna State government imposed a 24-hour curfew in the wake of the #EndBadGovernance protest in the state, which was however hijacked by some hoodlums.
Nwachukwu explained that troops of the Nigerian Army received a distress call reporting that a large group of hoodlums had gathered in Samaru.
According to him, the hoodlums were burning tyres on the road and pelting stones at security personnel.
He stated that the troops were 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 years old boy, Ismail Mohammed,” Nwachukwu said.
He added that the soldier involved had since been arrested and undergoing interrogation as of the time of this report.
“Saddened by the unfortunate incident, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has 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.”
“The deceased was buried according to Islamic rites with senior military officers of the Nigerian Army in attendance,” he said.
