The Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest of one of its soldiers following the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Ismail Mohammed during the ongoing EndBadGovernance protest in Kaduna State.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday when troops were dispatched to Samaru, a community in Zaria, to disperse protesters defying a curfew imposed by the Kaduna State Government.
The army’s intervention followed reports of disturbances in the area. Protesters had gathered in large numbers, setting tires ablaze and throwing stones at security personnel. The soldiers were deployed to restore order and enforce the government-mandated curfew.
In an official statement released on Tuesday night, Nigerian Army spokesperson Onyema Nwachukwu provided details of the incident. The statement said, “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 statement continued, “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.”
The soldier responsible for the fatal shot has been arrested and is currently undergoing interrogation. This incident has sparked outrage and renewed calls for accountability and reforms within the Nigerian security forces.
