Soldier runs amok, kills commander, colleagues

A soldier of the Nigerian Army, Lance Corporal Nwobodo Chinoso, has shot dead the Commander of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Rabah in Sokoto State, Lt. Sam Oladapo.

It was gathered that Chinoso, on Sunday, also shot dead the FOB Rabah Command Sergeant Major, Sgt. Iliyasu Inusa, and another private soldier, Attahiru Mohammed, after he had killed Oladapo.

It was learned that the soldier, after killing his colleagues, shot himself dead.

The Nigerian Army, while confirming the incident via a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said investigations have begun into the incident.

Mwachukwu stated that circumstances leading to the incident on Sunday could not be immediately ascertained since the soldier who killed his colleagues also shot himself dead.

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He added that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division and Commander, Joint Task Force, Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji, Maj.-Gen. Godwin Mutkut, and other senior officers had visited the location.

According to him, the GOC commiserated with troops for losing their colleagues in such an unfortunate situation.

“He urged them to be their brothers’ keepers and to report any anomaly observed amongst colleagues to forestall a recurrence.

“He also encouraged them to remain calm and committed in the discharge of their duties.

“The authorities of the Nigerian Army are deeply concerned about this unusual and ugly development and have instituted a Board of Inquiry (BOI) to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“It is envisaged that the findings of the BOI will help forestall such ugly and bizarre occurrence in the future,” Nwachukwu stated.

The Star