Tobias Sylvester
A soldier attached to 243 Recce Battalion Ibereko, Badagry, LCP Mahmud Sulaiman, has committed suicide after he shot dead a customs officer at Seme border in Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the incident happened on Wednesday when a senior military officer was trying to retrieve the gun from Sulaiman following his strange behaviour.
“In the process of retrieving the cocked weapon from him, which he resisted, he accidentally fired a shot and the stray bullet hit one Inspector of Custom, C.N Walter.
“The customs officer, who was attached to Seme Border Area Command, was rushed to Badagry General Hospital for treatment.
“But unfortunately, the customs officer died at about 6:40 a.m. on Thursday in the hospital. Subsequently, Sulaiman also shot himself and died on the spot,” the source said.
NAN gathered that the incident occurred at about 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday at Oloko checkpoint, Gbaji on Badagry-Seme expressway.
It was learnt that Sulaiman, who was recently redeployed to the Ibereko Battalion from the Theater of Operation in the North-East, had been behaving abnormally since assumption of duty in Badagry.
“He always cock his AK 47 rifle fully loaded with ammunition, an action that made his Team Leader to report the matter to the Commanding Officer of 243 Recce Battalion, Col. Nicholas Rume, where he was serving.
“The commanding officer immediately ordered for the retrieval of the weapon from him,” he said.
When contacted, the Customs Public Relations Officer in Seme border, Mr Abdulahi Hussiain, confirmed the incident, saying that the situation is under control.
“It is true, it was an accident but the situation is under control now. It is unfortunate the soldier committed suicide,” he said.
KanyiDaily had also reported how a depressed army corporal serving in Borno State, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.
