A middle aged woman identified as Mrs. Akparobi Orobogha, was killed by a trigger-happy soldier on her way to the venue of her daughter’s wedding ceremony in Delta State.
It was learnt that the soldier was with his colleagues at Jakpa Junction, Uvwie council area of the state where they were deployed to enforce the restriction on movement to ensure people complied with the environmental sanitation on Saturday, April 30, 2016.
According to reports, the trigger-happy soldier stopped the tricycle in which the deceased was being conveyed to the venue of her daughter’s wedding, but the driver fled.
The soldier reportedly shot at the tricycle and the woman was unfortunately hit leading to her death.
The case was immediately reported at the Ekpan Police Station in the state.
Orobogha’s first child, Alero, told the police that the killer-soldier had been whisked away by members of the JTF contrary to reports that he has been arrested, adding that the other soldiers at the roadblock where the incident happened have been taken to Warri Area Command for interrogations.
Alero said: “They have not arrested the soldier. JTF whisked him away. His colleagues that were at the road block together are now at Warri Area Command.
“It was my mom that was shot, not my sister that is wedding today. She was coming from the wedding.”
However, a senior army officer at the 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Effunrun Barracks, who preferred anonymity,refuted reports that the deceased was shot, and claimed that a bayonet unintentionally pierced through her.
He added the soldiers involved in the incident had been rounded off by the Army for interrogations.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the state, DSP Celestina Kalu who confirmed the incident said the case was already being investigated.
He said: “It’s not in our place to give an expert opinion on what it really was; whether a gun wound or a bayonet wound.
“It is when they must have done the autopsy that autopsy report will tell us what it really was. But the matter is still under investigation, no arrest has been made yet.”
However, the Authorities of the 4 Brigade Nigeria Army, Benin City in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Captain Jonah Unuakhalu, expressed regrets over the incident.
The statement said: “The soldier concerned has since been arrested and investigation is ongoing.
“The Brigade wishes to assure the general public that once investigation is concluded the finding will be made public and the soldier if found culpable will be prosecuted according to military law.”