United Nations ‘Deeply Disturbed’ By Killing Of Aid Worker In Nigeria’s Northeast
The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, in a statement on Friday, conveyed condolences to the family of the aid worker killed by a soldier.
A yet-to-be-identified soldier of the Nigerian military got drunk on Thursday, Nov.17 and opened fire at his colleagues and two United Nations humanitarian pilots, killing an aid worker, sources said in a previous HumAngle report,
The spokesperson of the military’s counter-insurgency operations in the country’s Northeast, Major Samson Zhakom, confirmed the incident in Damboa town in Borno.
“The military regrets to inform the public of a sad occurrence at one of our military bases today, ” he said.
The United Nations, on Friday, also confirmed this in a statement signed by its Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, conveying condolences to the family of the slain aid worker.
“I laud the Government and the military’s efforts to speedily investigate yesterday’s incident and urge them to strengthen remedial measures to prevent similar incidents in the future,” the statement said.
The incidence of soldiers using their service rifles against colleagues and civilians has been a recurring concern.
In 2020, a soldier opened fire on his colleagues at an army base in Malam Fatori, killing four of them and leaving two injured. A few months later, another soldier serving with a 202 Tank Battalion Bama shot and killed an officer.
The Damboa shooting happened the same day the military announced the death of an army general who was knocked down by a drunken soldier who was seen driving recklessly within a military barracks in Lagos.
The killed officer, Brigadier General A.O James, had been recently deployed to Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) as the new Director of Finance.
He was said to be walking down to his house within the barracks when the drunken driver, Abayomi Ebun, a corporal in the Nigerian Army, drove towards him at top speed and crushed him to death.
Corporal Ebun has since been arrested and detained by the military.
Support Our Journalism
There are millions of ordinary people affected by conflict in Africa whose stories are missing in the mainstream media. HumAngle is determined to tell those challenging and under-reported stories, hoping that the people impacted by these conflicts will find the safety and security they deserve.
To ensure that we continue to provide public service coverage, we have a small favour to ask you. We want you to be part of our journalistic endeavour by contributing a token to us.
Your donation will further promote a robust, free, and independent media.
Donate Here
