Soldier shoots senior colleague dead during dispute in Kano

A Nigerian soldier has allegedly shot dead a senior colleague following an altercation while both were on guard duty at the residence of a retired army general in Kano State.

The deceased, identified as Sergeant Suleiman, was reportedly killed after an argument with the suspect, a private soldier said to be attached to 21 Nigerian Army unit.

Military sources said the incident occurred during the week while the two personnel were deployed to guard the residence of the retired senior military officer.

According to sources familiar with the incident, the disagreement escalated shortly before the shooting.

“The two soldiers were on duty at the residence of a retired general in Kano. After an argument, the sergeant reportedly went into the restroom, and as he was coming out, the private allegedly opened fire on him,” a source disclosed.

The soldier was said to have fired multiple shots, killing the sergeant on the spot.

Sources also revealed that Closed-Circuit Television footage from the residence allegedly captured the incident.

Another military source claimed the suspect had recently been redeployed from the North-East, where he participated in operations against Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.

The motive behind the altercation remains unclear as authorities have yet to officially comment on the incident.

However, the development has renewed concerns over the mental and psychological wellbeing of military personnel returning from conflict zones.

In recent years, several cases involving soldiers attacking colleagues or superiors have been reported, particularly among troops deployed to counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.

Some serving and former soldiers have repeatedly raised concerns over prolonged deployments, poor welfare conditions, operational stress and low morale within the military.

In separate incidents reported in recent years, soldiers deployed to anti-terror operations were accused of killing fellow personnel during disputes, while other cases involved troops allegedly taking their own lives.

Security analysts and stakeholders have continued to advocate improved mental health support, counselling and welfare packages for military personnel engaged in prolonged combat operations.