“He Was Shot In His Room” — Family Accuses Army Of Killing NYSC Member

The family of Abdulsamad Jamiu, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has accused the Nigerian Army of killing him in Dei-Dei, Shagari Estate, Abuja.

KanyiDaily recalls that the Guards Brigade had claimed that Jamiu was hit by a stray bullet during a gunfight on April 25.

According to the military, troops had responded to an emergency call from residents who claimed they were under attack by armed robbers.

The army said that when soldiers arrived, the suspects opened fire while trying to escape, leading to a short exchange of gunfire.

It added that Jamiu was caught in the middle of the shooting and later died from his injuries, despite efforts to manage the situation and protect lives.

The brigade described the scene as “fluid and highly volatile, and confirmed that his body was taken to Kubwa General Hospital.

Reacting in a statement released on Sunday, Jamiu’s family disagreed with the army’s version of events, saying available evidence does not support the claim that there was any gun battle.

According to them, the incident happened around 2 a.m. on Saturday when Jamiu’s sister was at home, while their parents had travelled to Okene for a burial.

“Nigerian military personnel discharged a firearm at close range through the door of Abdulsamad’s room. The shot struck him in the head, killing him instantly,” the statement reads.

“The trajectory of the bullet — confirmed by physical examination of the bullet hole, which runs from the room door to the wall — establishes that the shot was fired from outside the room, through a closed door.”

They also argued that if there had been a real gunfight, there should have been another armed party involved.

“No such adversary has been identified, produced, or accounted for. No weapon was recovered from the scene. No shell casings attributed to any party other than the military have been documented,” the statement added.

“The point of entry used by the military personnel was the fence, which they scaled. The remnants of fallen barbed wire at the fence remain visible and physically verifiable at the scene to this day.”

The family further claimed that the soldiers entered the compound by climbing over the fence, noting that damaged barbed wire is still visible.

They added that the main gate was not broken and that there were no reports of robbery in the area that night.

According to them, Jamiu’s sister ran downstairs after hearing the gunshot but was told by the soldiers to step outside and calm down.

Neighbours who heard the noise alerted members of the local vigilance group.

When they arrived, the family alleged that the soldiers asked them to clean up the blood, a move they believe may have affected evidence at the scene.

Police officers later took Jamiu’s body to the hospital.

The family said they were made to go through several hours of questioning and paperwork before they were finally allowed to take his body for burial.

They also claimed that the soldiers later admitted the shooting was a mistake and that an innocent person had been killed.

According to the family, this admission was made in front of the Divisional Police Officer and was put in writing.

The family is now calling for an independent and transparent investigation that is not controlled by the military.

They want the soldiers involved to be identified, suspended pending investigation, and prosecuted.

They also demanded that the army withdraw its earlier statement and release a corrected version that reflects what truly happened, along with a public apology.

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