By Sabiu Abdullahi
A soldier attached to the 35 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Abeokuta accidentally shot himself to death, as confirmed by Lt.-Col. Olabisi Ayeni, the spokesman of the 81 Division, Nigerian Army, supervising the brigade.
The unfortunate incident occurred when the soldier sustained a gunshot wound to his head. Lt.-Col. Ayeni reported on Wednesday that upon hearing the accidental discharge, the soldier’s colleagues rushed to the scene, discovering him in a pool of his own blood.
“Investigation has since started to unravel the circumstances and possible remote cause of the unfortunate incident.
“The remains of the soldier have been evacuated and deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta,’’ Mr Ayeni stated.
Addressing speculations circulating on social media, Lt.-Col. Ayeni urged the public to disregard insinuations that the soldier took his own life due to non-payment of Ration Cash Allowance.
He clarified that the late soldier had been deployed to the Brigade Standby Force on Jan.15, adequately fed alongside his colleagues in accordance with the Nigerian Army’s standards for troops on duty.
Expressing deep concern over the misuse of the incident, Lt.-Col. Ayeni stated the commitment of the division to the welfare of its troops.
He conveyed the division’s condolences and sympathy to the deceased soldier’s family, highlighting that the division is dedicated to providing necessary welfare to boost the morale of its troops.