The family of Abdulsamad Jamiu, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member killed by soldiers of the Guards Brigade Quick Response Force in Dei-Dei, Shagari Estate, Abuja, has rejected the military’s account of the incident.
In a statement, the Guards Brigade headquarters had said
Jamiu was caught in a crossfire on April 25 when troops responded to a distress
call from residents reportedly under attack by armed robbers.
“Upon arrival, the troops came under gunfire from the
fleeing armed robbers, resulting in a brief but intense exchange,” the
statement reads.
“In the course of the engagement, Mr Jamiu was caught in the
crossfire. Despite efforts by troops to secure the area and preserve lives, he
sadly succumbed to his injuries.”
The brigade described the situation as “fluid and highly
volatile” and said the deceased’s remains were handed to civil authorities at
Kubwa General Hospital.
However, the family, in a statement on Sunday, said
“physical evidence disproves an exchange of gunfire”, adding that their son was
killed at about 2am on Saturday when military personnel entered the estate.
According to the statement, Jamiu’s sister was in the house
at the time, while their parents were away in Okene for a burial ceremony.
“Nigerian military personnel discharged a firearm at close
range through the door of Abdulsamad’s room. The shot struck him in the head,
killing him instantly,” the statement reads.
“The trajectory of the bullet — confirmed by physical
examination of the bullet hole, which runs from the room door to the wall —
establishes that the shot was fired from outside the room, through a closed
door.”
The family argued that an exchange of gunfire presupposes an
adversary who is armed and actively firing.
“No such adversary has been identified, produced, or
accounted for. No weapon was recovered from the scene. No shell casings
attributed to any party other than the military have been documented,” the
statement added.
“The point of entry used by the military personnel was the
fence, which they scaled. The remnants of fallen barbed wire at the fence
remain visible and physically verifiable at the scene to this day.”
It added that the gate to the premises was intact and not
damaged at the time of the incident, noting that no robbery was also reported
in the community on the night.
The family said Jamiu’s sister, upon hearing the gunshot,
rushed downstairs but was told by the soldiers to go outside and “calm down”.
Neighbours who heard the gunshot alerted the community
vigilance group.
However, on arrival, the vigilance group members were
allegedly instructed by the soldiers to “mop up the blood and flush it”, a
directive the family said raises serious concerns about the preservation of
evidence.
Jamiu’s body was later taken to the hospital by police
officers.
The family said they were compelled to endure hours of
statements and administrative procedures before being granted access to
retrieve their son’s remains for burial.
They further stated that when confronted, the soldiers
admitted the shooting was a mistake and that they had killed an innocent
person.
According to the family, this admission was made in the
presence of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and documented in a written
statement.
The family demanded an immediate, independent, and
transparent investigation into the circumstances of Jamiu’s death, to be
conducted outside the Nigerian military’s chain of command and with full
civilian oversight.
They also called for the identification, suspension pending
investigation, and prosecution of the personnel responsible for the shooting.
In addition, the family demanded a retraction of the
military’s earlier statement and the issuance of a corrected account consistent
with the available evidence and prior admissions.
They further called for a formal public apology from the
army.
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