A 16-year-old boy named Ismail Mohammed was shot and killed by a soldier attempting to disperse a crowd of protesters in Samaru, Zaria town in Kaduna State on August 6, 2024.
The shooting happened on the sixth day of the #EndBadGovernance protests which have been sweeping through major Nigerian cities since August 1st. The protests in Zaria turned particularly tense, leading the Kaduna State Government to impose a 24-hour curfew in Zaria and the capital city, Kaduna, on Monday. However, many residents defied the curfew and took to the streets the next day.
The Nigerian Army stated that soldiers were called in following reports of a group of hoodlums burning tires and throwing stones at security personnel. When the troops arrived, the situation escalated, prompting a soldier to fire a warning shot that struck and killed Mohammed.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, expressed his deep regret over the incident and sent a delegation to offer condolences to the boy’s family. In an attempt to make amends, the military has reportedly given the family N300,000 (U.S.$188) as compensation.
The soldier involved has been detained for questioning. The Nigerian Army has also promised a thorough investigation into the shooting, which has raised serious concerns about the use of force by security personnel during the protests.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
