A soldier serving in 2 Battalion of 21 Special Armoured Brigade in Bama, Borno State, believed to be suffering from depression, shot and killed a senior officer on Wednesday, the Nigerian Army has said.
Acting spokesman of the army Col. Sagir Musa disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
Musa said the incident occurred when the soldier whose identity could not be ascertained approached his adjutant Lt. Babakaka Ngorgi who was standing in front of the unit’s headquarters making a phone call.
He said the soldier is in custody undergoing investigation while the general situation in the unit is calm.
According to him, the remains of the deceased officer have been evacuated to 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital.
The late Ngorgi is said to have only taken a wife last December.
It was learnt that Ngorgi had been refusing to give the officer a travel pass to enable him resolve his inability to access his salary account, which had been frozen for about eight months.
The suspected killer’s bank account was reportedly frozen by the authorities because he went AWOL (away without official leave) for six months.
“Investigation into the case has since been instituted to determine the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident.
“The family of the deceased has already been contacted.
“The Nigerian Army sympathises and condoles with the family at this trying moment, and pray to the Almighty God to repose the soul of the departed and grant his family and other loved ones the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the statement read.
