Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - The family of Abdulsamad Jamiu, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member k!lled by soldiers of the Guards Brigade Quick Response Force in Dei-Dei, Shagari Estate, Abuja, has rejected the military’s account of the incident.
On Sunday, April 26, the Nigerian
Army released a statement claiming late 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. 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 Army described the situation as “fluid and highly
volatile” and said the deceased’s remains were handed to civil authorities at
Kubwa General Hospital.
However, in a statement released, the family of the deceased
said “physical evidence disproves an exchange of gunfire”, adding that their
son was k!lled 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, k!lling him instantly. 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 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”.
The statement mentioned that 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 k!lled 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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