The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army said it has begun an investigation into the alleged killing of a driver identified as Lawal by individuals posing as soldiers.
The incident happened on Friday when Lawal was stopped by the soldiers while he was on his way to deliver a brand-new 2022 Toyota Corolla to its owner in Abuja.
According to reports, after telling Lawal they were taking him to their barracks, the soldiers instead took him to Iyana Ipaja, near the entrance of Lagos, where they shot him dead and dumped his body into a bush.
Unknown to the criminals in uniform, Lawal’s friend, who was driving a Hilux van ahead of him, saw the entire occurrence and immediately called the police to report it.
The suspects were tracked to the 9th Brigade in Maryland after being reported by the friend to the authorities, where they were identified on Saturday.
Reacting to the incident on Sunday afternoon, the Army Public Relations Officer for the 81 Division, Lt.-Col. Olabisi Ayeni, in a statement shared on their X (formerly Twitter) handle said the army was investigating the murder said to have been committed by some persons in military uniform on August 17.
The statement said “Headquarters 81 Division Nigerian Army wishes to inform the general public that it has commenced investigation into the alleged killing of one Mr Lawal who was said to have been killed by some persons in military uniform on 17 August 2023.
“In as much as information into the allegation is still scanty at the moment, being a responsible organization, Headquarters 81 Division Nigerian Army considers it appropriate to bring the occurrence to public notice and the steps taken to identify the alleged persons in military uniform, believed to be soldiers and bring them to justice if truly they are serving soldiers.
“The Division is currently investigating in conjunction with the Nigerian Police Lagos State Command to unravel the identity of the alleged suspects and the circumstances surrounding the alleged unfortunate incident. At the end of the investigation, if the suspects are identified as serving soldiers, they will be made to face the full wrath of both military and civil laws.
“While the matter is under investigation, Headquarters 81 Division requests the family of the deceased to exercise patience and wait for the outcome of the investigation as whoever is found wanting will be made to face disciplinary action. The Nigerian Army has zero tolerance for troops’ misconduct or involvement of its personnel in any form of criminality, hence, will not allow this allegation to go unraveled.
“Consequently, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division NA, Maj Gen MT Usman, commiserates with the family of the victim while promising that justice would be served accordingly. He assures the family of the deceased that whosoever killed their loved one will not be allowed to go unpunished.
Credit: X | HQNigerianArmy
