The father of a slain National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Abdulsamad Jamiu, has revealed that military operatives admitted his son’s death was a mistake following the incident in Dei-Dei, Abuja.
The bereaved father, Sani Jimoh, disclosed this on Monday after a delegation from the Nigerian Army visited the family to console them and inspect the scene.
The Guards Brigade had earlier claimed that Jamiu was caught in a crossfire on April 25 when troops responded to a distress call over an armed robbery attack.
According to the military, “the troops came under gunfire from the fleeing armed robbers, resulting in a brief but intense exchange.”
However, Jimoh, in an interview with The Cable, said the soldiers’ explanation differed when he spoke with them directly.
“They said that Oga calm down, and it was a mistake,” he stated.
He explained that he and his wife were away in Kogi State for a burial when they received a distress call from their daughter around 2 am informing them of the incident.
Recounting what the operatives told him, Jimoh said the soldiers claimed they were chasing suspected robbers and noticed signs of forced entry into his compound.
“They said that they were pursuing a thief, but they couldn’t see the thief… they thought someone had jumped through it inside my compound,” he said.
According to him, the soldiers alleged that they gained access to the house and attempted to open his son’s room.
“They were trying to open the door… and somebody was there trying to block them… and what happened now happened,” he added.
The family has, however, rejected the military’s account, insisting that physical evidence does not support the claim of a gun battle.
They maintained that Jamiu was shot inside his room, raising questions about how the incident escalated into a fatal shooting.
Jimoh also said the Divisional Police Officer in Dei-Dei described the incident as an unfortunate mistake.
He added that police authorities requested a written statement and an undertaking before releasing his son’s body for burial.
