Father Recounts Final Words of Son, a Corps Member, Killed by Soldiers

Engr. Sani Jimoh, the father of the late Abdussamad Jamiu, a 24-year-old corps member, has shared the distressing account of how his son was allegedly killed by soldiers within his own room in the Dakwa community, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Abdussamad, a graduate of Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, was reportedly just one month away from concluding his mandatory National Youth Service Corps program in Karu, Nasarawa State, when the tragic incident occurred early Saturday morning. He had been residing in the apartment for several years.

His cousin, Yusuf Enesi Adeiza, described Abdussamad, also known as Kesh, as a disciplined and focused individual who was well-regarded. Adeiza noted that Abdussamad had been retained at his place of primary assignment, with his Passing-Out Parade scheduled for the following month, emphasizing that he was conducting himself properly.

Jimoh, who was in Okene, Kogi State, at the time of the incident, received the news from his daughter, Farida, who was present in the house. According to his father, Farida heard a gunshot from the ground floor and rushed towards her brother's room. She reported being flashed with a torchlight and pleaded with the soldiers, who identified themselves and instructed her to go downstairs to the area containing the sitting room and Abdussamad's room. She stated that there were three soldiers and they directed her towards the house's fence.

The soldiers reportedly informed Farida that they were pursuing a suspect and believed the individual might have entered the house through the fence. Upon hearing about the gunshot, her immediate concern was her brother's whereabouts. She proceeded to his room and discovered him deceased on the floor, bleeding profusely with a severe head injury.

"So you have killed my brother," she confronted them, according to her father. She informed them of her intention to notify her father, which the soldiers reportedly did not object to. Jimoh conveyed his suspicion that the soldiers might have been intentionally sent to target his son.

He also mentioned speaking with one of the soldiers on the phone after the incident. The soldier explained they were tracking a thief who disappeared, leading them to suspect the individual had jumped into the house through the fence, citing tampered barbed wire. Jimoh questioned how they gained access, and the soldier reportedly told him not to worry about it. Jimoh rejected this explanation, asserting the house was secure.

He challenged the soldiers' actions, stating that even if pursuing a robber, they should not have fired into a locked room, especially when his son was heard asking, "Who is there?" A younger female resident in the house reportedly heard Abdussamad asking "Who is there?" before the gunshots were fired into his room.

Jimoh further alleged that the soldiers tampered with the scene after the shooting, and that local vigilantes were brought in to clean up bloodstains before the police from B Division, Dei-Dei, arrived to take the body to the Kubwa General Hospital mortuary. Jimoh returned to Abuja immediately and was briefed by the Divisional Police Officer, who offered condolences and advised him to be patient.

After demanding to see and bury his son's remains according to Islamic rites, Jimoh was asked to sign an undertaking. He was told that pursuing the case would require the body to be returned to the hospital, but it could be released for burial otherwise. He chose to collect the body and proceed with the burial on the same Saturday.

Jimoh stated that the soldiers admitted responsibility, characterizing the killing as a mistake. He demanded justice and accountability, expecting the soldier who fired the shot to be investigated, apprehended, and punished. He also mentioned his son's aspiration to join the Nigerian Army and requested that one of his younger brothers be enlisted, in addition to seeking compensation.

He refuted claims of a robbery in the area, insisting there was no exchange of gunfire and that his son was inside his room at the time of the incident.

His cousin, Yusuf Enesi Adeiza, reiterated that Jamiu was disciplined and focused. He shared how they used to joke about parting ways, but in retrospect, it felt like his cousin had a premonition. Adeiza described Jamiu as calm, intelligent, and someone who balanced work, studies, and gaming.

At the residence, locals pointed to the rear fence, claiming it was how security personnel entered by damaging the barbed wire, leaving the main gate undisturbed. A bullet hole was visible on the wooden door of Jamiu's room, consistent with a shot fired through a closed door.

It was learned that Abdussamad Jamiu also served as a Qur'anic teacher in Kubwa. Suleiman Usman, a resident, recalled Jamiu as a teacher with a soothing voice and described his murder as a personal loss. Muhsim Nazifi, a childhood friend, spoke of Jamiu's brilliance and his involvement in tailoring and social activities.

Residents also protested, demanding an end to alleged harassment by soldiers in the area, citing a recent curfew imposed after 10 pm by newly deployed soldiers from the 102 Guards Battalion. A shop owner recounted being beaten for operating past 10:30 pm.

A community leader, speaking anonymously, confirmed the soldiers' enforcement of a curfew, mentioning that surveillance was requested due to past kidnapping incidents. He dismissed reports of an armed robbery, stating he knew Jamiu and that no such incident occurred.

Adamu Musa, the commander of the local vigilante group, stated he was out of town on the day of the incident and had not yet gathered details.

In a statement on X, a family member, Abu Bakr, described the Army's initial account as an insult. A delegation from the Nigerian Army, led by Brigadier S.O. Buhari, visited the family to offer condolences and assess the scene. They reportedly acknowledged inconsistencies in their earlier account, including not being aware of the fence and the downstairs location of the room where the shooting occurred. The family emphasized the need for accountability and a corrected narrative.

Lieutenant Olawuyi Odunola, Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations at the Headquarters of Guards Brigade, confirmed that an investigation is ongoing and updates will be provided upon its conclusion. The Nigerian Army had previously stated that troops responded to a distress call about an armed robbery and engaged fleeing robbers, resulting in Jamiu being caught in the crossfire. The NYSC expressed sorrow over the death and confirmed an ongoing investigation. The FCT Police Command indicated the matter was likely with the Dei-Dei Divisional Headquarters.