The Nigerian Army confirmed that its troops mistakenly killed a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed, during the #EndBadGovernance protests in Samaru town, Zaria, Kaduna on Tuesday.
In a statement released shortly after the incident, army spokesperson Onyema Nwachukwu explained that the fatal shooting occurred when a soldier fired a warning shot aimed at dispersing a group of hoodlums.
The soldier, who has been taken in for questioning, reportedly intended to restore order amid violent protests.
The protests in Samaru had turned violent, with hoodlums reportedly burning tyres and pelting stones at security personnel. In response to a distress call, troops were deployed to restore calm and enforce the curfew imposed earlier by Governor Uba Sani.
According to Nwachukwu, the soldiers faced fierce resistance, prompting the warning shot that tragically killed Ismail Mohammed.
A delegation of officers has been sent to offer condolences to the bereaved family and attend Ismail Mohammed’s burial.
The deceased’s mother, Zainab Sani, recounted the incident, stating that the shooting occurred around 9:00 a.m. at their residence on Sarkin Pawa Street, Samaru. According to Ms. Sani, Ismail was playing with his friends and brother when they saw soldiers approaching.
They ran into the house and shut the gate, but one of the soldiers shot at the gate, fatally wounding Ismail, who was standing by the gate to prevent the soldiers from entering.
Ms. Sani added that Ismail had just completed his final secondary school examination in Zaria and was seeking admission to further his education at the time of his death.
