Nigerian soldiers are accused of following and fatally shooting 18-year-old Ismail Mohammed through a door in Zaria during a curfew enforcement related to the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests. The Nigerian Army has confirmed the incident and initiated an investigation. The deceased's family demands justice.
In a tragic incident in Zaria, Kaduna State, 18-year-old Ismail Mohammed was shot dead by Nigerian soldiers on Tuesday, August 6. His father, Malam Mohammed, has accused the soldiers of following his son to their home and firing through the door.
According to Malam Mohammed, the soldiers were enforcing a curfew related to the nationwide hunger protests under the hashtag #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria. He recounted that his son, who was outside during the shooting, ran inside the house and locked the door. The soldiers, he claimed, pursued Ismail and shot through the door, killing him.
Malam Mohammed was not at home at the time but received a call about the incident while he was at Hayin Dogo. It took him an hour to reach home, only to find that Ismail had been killed.
The deceased’s mother, Zainab Sani, stated that the shooting occurred around 9:00 a.m. at their residence on Sarkin Pawa Street. She described the soldiers as "trigger-happy" and said the incident happened when Ismail and his friends saw the soldiers approaching and attempted to escape by running into the house and locking the gate. Ismail, she alleged, was shot while trying to prevent the soldiers from entering.
Maj.-Gen. MLD Saraso, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, visited the family and assured them of a thorough investigation into Ismail’s death. The Nigerian Army has confirmed the incident, with Army spokesperson Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu stated that the death resulted from troops firing a warning shot to deter hoodlums and enforce a curfew imposed due to the protests.
The Army has encouraged community members with evidence to come forward to assist with the investigation.
