Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari interacts with country’s top military at HQ 1 Brigade in Dansadau Zamfara State, picture, Vanguard
from AHMED OBAFEMI in Maiduguri, Nigeria
MAIDUGURI, (CAJ News) – THE Nigerian Army has opened investigations after a corporal killed four of his colleagues before turning the gun on himself.
The gruesome incident happened northeast of the country where the soldiers were deployed to fight the Boko Haram terror group.
Two of the deceased’s colleagues were also injured during the incident and were in stable condition in the military hospital in volatile city of Maiduguri in the Borno State.
The fatal incident occurred in the town of Malam Fatori where the soldiers were stationed under the Operation Lafiya Dole (Peace by Force), which is a crackdown the military has embarked on in recent years to eliminate the Boko Haram.
Colonel Sagir Musa, the Acting Public Relations Director of the Nigerian Army, said efforts were ongoing to contact the families of the deceased.
“Meanwhile, investigation into the case has since been instituted to determine the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident,” Musa said.
The incident in Malam Fatori is the latest in a line of tragedies involving soldiers killing themselves and colleagues.
These are setbacks to the Nigerian Army, which is engaged in an overwhelming battle against the Boko Haram.
The Borno State is the epicentre of the insurgency by the Islamist group that seeks to overthrow the government in Africa’s most populous country of an estimated 200 million people.
There have been reports of depression and disgruntlement among soldiers deployed to battle the Boko Haram.
– CAJ News